An Historic Discovery
by Airheadninja
Summary: A different kind of story about a very adventurous girl named Bali who goes back in time to a land she hates. But Ra aims to change that, and with Atem around, who knows what will happen? AtemxOC
1. Prologue

**May the Millennium Force be with you.**

**This is the prologue to one of my brainchildren. This story stems from watching too many action/adventure movies and reading romance novels. Well, at least a little. I don't own YGO, it belongs to Takahashi Kazuki. You know the guy. Oh, and it might take a little while in the story for recognizable characters to actually show up, but you'll get the drill. **

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><p>"Bali! Are you reading your Egypt encyclopedia again?" A young mother asked her precious little girl. Said little girl (who was already an excellent reader, despite being five years old) looked up from the giant book to smile hugely.<p>

"Daddy says that there are always tiny facts we miss when reading, so the more we read, the more we can find!" Bali explained, carefully putting her princess bookmark in place and shoving the book out of her lap.

"But I thought you've read it three times already!" Her mother exclaimed, amazed at her child's early interests and logical passion. Bali beamed.

"Egypt's too cool to just leave it alone!" She replied, twirling around in excitement. Bali had loved Egypt from the first time her father had taken her to a museum exhibit. Her parents thought that since she was a child, the interest would be fleeting. They were surprised when they learned she had been asking her preschool teacher to teach hieroglyphics "like what the Egyptians wrote."

"I just hope nothing happens to you, Bali. How about you let me tell you a story." Her mother suggested, and Bali nodded her head vigorously. Bali loved her mother more than anything else, even Egypt.

"This one has to do with a pharaoh a long, long time ago. You wanna know how long?" She started out, pulling Bali into her lap and stroking her black hair.

"How long?"

"5,000 years ago."

"Wow! That was, um… in 3,000 D.C.?" Bali calculated in wonderment.

"B.C., my dear. Anyhow, this pharaoh was a great sorcerer, using what was called 'shadow magic.' Now, under the reign of this pharaoh, Egypt was peaceful and prosperous. With the Millennium Puzzle situated around his neck, he ruled with great judgment over his empire."

"One day, however, an evil man with great shadow powers challenged the pharaoh and his court, trying to gain control of the powerful Millennium Items. A great battle was held, and nearly all of Thebes was destroyed and the world taken by the evil man. But the pharaoh, who was brave and loved his country above all else, sealed himself and the evil sorcerer inside the Millennium Items."

"No one knows where these items are today, for they are protected by ancient forces. But throughout the thousands of years since the incident, the desert winds utter whispers of the time when history will repeat, as per Egyptian belief. What do you think Bali?" Bali's mother ended softly, slowly rocking her sleepy child in her arms(it _was_ close to nap time, after all).

"I don't know Momma. … Momma?"

"Yes Bali?"

"What was the pharaoh's name?" Bali gave her last intelligent phrase before sleep claimed her. Bali's mother smiled sadly.

"I'm afraid I can't answer that."

**-America, the year nineteen-hundred and twenty one-**

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><p><strong>May I just say that the first chapter will be full of fun little surprises? Reviews are what I long for, and don't flame me. I have a very fragile ego. <strong>


	2. Our Lovely Hero

-Eastern Libyan desert, 1934-

"Bali, wait for me!" A short, stout and very distressed young man called out. He was carrying his weight in supplies, not a smart choice in the broad desert he was in. His 'colleague' however, knew her way around the desert, and brought what she knew would benefit her most.

"Ambrose, I think I've found the inquiry." The tall woman stated, her voice full of arrogance and pride. Having just completed many studies and becoming a doctor of archeology's apprentice, there was many a reason to be proud.

"Already? How could you have known where to look?" Ambrose puffed, looking over the sandstone cliff beside Bali. The 18-year-old grinned cockily with the fire of mischief in her eyes.

"I just followed our friends down there. See?" She pointed out. An armed guardsmen stood out front to watch his group's horses.

"Ambrose, you pitched the camels like I asked, right?" Bali clarified, and Ambrose nodded vigorously, ensuring his brilliant friend that he was to be trusted.

"This looks too dangerous, Bali." Ambrose squeaked when he saw the flash of a gun in the sunlight. Bali's smirk grew as she drew out her own pistol.

"Who's to say who's dangerous these days?" Bali replied, and jumped down, already firing twice. The guard was shot down before he knew what was happening. Bali waved for Ambrose to 'come along' while she watched for a retaliation from the cavern built into the sandstone.

Once Ambrose was caught up, he shuddered at the glazed eyes of the man Bali had just killed. Bali ushered him in, leading the way with heightened senses and gun at the ready. They came up to inscriptions that Bali recognized and she growled when they came to a hallway split.

"They're hieroglyphs! But we're so far from there…" Ambrose pointed out, and Bali growled. She had a flashlight out because they were too far inside the structure to have proper sunlight run through.

"This area was still part of the Upper Kingdom back then." Bali muttered, to answer Ambrose.

"Can you read it?" Ambrose asked more, looking up at her and her angered expression as they stared at the sign before them.

"I hate Egypt." She stated, a vicious tone poisoning her voice. Ambrose gulped and asked again.

"Yes, I can. What kind of apprentice would I be if I couldn't?" Bali snarled, making Ambrose step back. Bali was a terrible force to be reckoned with when angry.

"It says 'the trial of the gods awaits the one who dares challenge the sun.' They want us to challenge Ra? Please." Bali read, snorting in disbelief at the end. Still, since she was here on business and her master wouldn't like it if she came back empty handed, she pushed on the expedition. The pair went the same way their new group of pals went, mostly because Bali was curious about their 'friends' and about challenging Ra. But of course, she was in denial about the 'Ra' thing.

The two young adventurers went quite a ways (stepping cautiously; the Egyptians loved booby traps) before they could hear voices from farther down. Bali motioned for extreme quiet, and they went ahead with Bali getting a second revolver out. Luckily, there was a doorway that let them peek in instead of barging in, guns blazing. Bali recognized the group insignia immediately.

"George Corman, that black market bastard. Sent his stooges to soil a good and fascinating archeological discovery, no doubt." Bali uttered under her breath, her gaze fierce in remembrance. Her teacher, Evelyn O'Connell (_: I don't own that character, either), had always warned her about these black market bozos. Especially George Corman.

"'Ello sweetie. You lookin' fer someone?" A rough cockney accent broke behind them, and Bali whipped around in surprise. It was no use to try and fight; the gruff-looking man had a friend and they both had guns. Bali dropped hers and slowly lifted her hands with her eyes never leaving that of her oppressor's. The man sneered and motioned for both Bali and Ambrose to walk inside the room.

"Lookee 'ere, boss! We got ourselves some sneaky l'il rats!" Their captor sounded, and his group of four turned to face them. One man smiled maliciously when he saw Bali.

"Well, look what we have here. The little runt that woman took in. I remember the last time you and your teacher ruined everything for me." said he, the very man Bali wanted to pound into the ground. George Corman.

"You slime. Dr. O'Connell is more brilliant than you'll ever be. You're just a looter with a lust for money." Bali seethed, intensely glaring at him while he walked up to her.

"So young and promising, and already having enemies. But you're wrong. Money isn't everything I crave," Corman started, grasping Bali's chin to get a better look at her. She swiped him away with a snarl, causing guns to be raised around the room. They went down when Corman showed he was okay.

"I want power, my dear. And you're going to get it for me. You see, our last translator was, well, unsuccessful. Seeing as you're now the only one in this room who can read the ritual summoning and take the challenge for me now, you don't have a choice of whether I kill you or not. Sound like a plan?" Corman offered, gesturing around at his men and the platform with the inscriptions.

"And why the hell should I care if I die or not? Also, who said I would be worthy enough for Ra anyways? I'm not such a good little girl these days." Bali pointed out, giving an arrogant smirk to prove her point. But Corman wasn't angered at all, much to Bali's dismay. If he lost his cool, he would be vulnerable. Even if she would die in the end of her planned assault, she planned to take him with her.

"Ah, so you did read that sign from earlier. You see, I believe that even if you say you're 'bad' because of that brat routine you put on to look cool, you're still one of those 'justice' freaks that ruins everyone's day."

"But the last time we met, I noticed something on your wrist." Corman described, grabbing Bali's wrist with some difficulty. She had a leather wrist strap tied around, which he ripped off.

"Stop!" Bali screeched, but it was too late.

"You're a servant of Pharaoh, a mehdji! Don't even try to deny this mark." Corman stated, showing his men with a justified smile.

"I HATE Egypt! All it has done is give me trouble. I don't care if you shoot me down, I'm NOT going to take this ridiculous trial!" Bali screamed, just about to storm out in fury. But immediately, there was a gun pressed against her back when she called for Ambrose.

"Bali, I'd do what he says. Because otherwise we'll have to take Dr. O'Connell." Ambrose warned, pressing the gun up into Bali's back. Bali was frozen in shock.

"What? But Ambrose, why?" Bali asked, with only sadness evident in her questions.

Ever since our days in university, you've been bossing me around and have made my life worthless. I worked hard for degree while you breezed through and became famous. You got the apprenticeship with Dr. O'Connell that I was shooting for. You ruined my life, Bali." Ambrose explained with spite, while Corman stared with smug satisfaction.

"But, Ambrose… Dr. O'Connell is helping you, too. Please don't drag her into this vile mess I've obviously made." Bali began, but called out in pain when the gun nozzle stabbed painfully into her spine.

"I guess that's why you should get moving then." Ambrose said coolly, making Bali look down at her feet.

"Fine, whatever. But Dr. O'Connell and her family are to be left unharmed, do you hear me Corman?" Bali caved, walking forward to begin the trial. It wasn't the first time she had been betrayed, but Ambrose had always been a close friend.

"Perfectly. Go right on ahead then. Best of luck." Corman encouraged, his plan going forward just as he wanted. Bali glared in his direction before stepping onto the platform. She stood above everyone else in the room, and she looked around to see that they were waiting expectantly. She looked to the ornate inscription before her, glittering in the torchlight of the room.

"Only those who can read and write can take on the god's might. But should the first trial be read wrong, the reader most likely will be gone." Bali read to herself, and realized the glyphs afterward were the first part of her trial.

"In this room you must utter not, for if said your soul will rot." was the last part of the warning. Bali swallowed hard, and wiped the sweat from her clenched hands. She now read the inscription that held her first trial.

'In this room your brightness shines, and all humanity worships in line. Oh great Ra in all of your glory and might, show this mortal your powerful light." Bali finished, remembering not to say a word. The trial confused her, and a part of her started to panic. She had to say it, but the room forbade her to speak.

She looked around the room for some other clues. Corman's group looked at her with curiosity. She wouldn't speak, even when prompted. Bali's eyes widened when she saw an empty stone tablet on the wall that was the mirror image of the one that held the trial writings. But it was blank.

"You have to read _and_ write! I understand now!" Bali realized, reaching back and getting carving tools she always had for archeological purposes. She stepped down and jogged to the other side of the room, not daring to utter a sound.

"Alright… In this room…" Bali started, carving out the hieroglyphs of the incantation. Corman stared over her shoulder in wonderment. His men never would have thought of this, and possibly not even her teacher. The girl was truly gifted, in his mind.

When Bali finished, the hieroglyphs glowed with a golden radiance that made everyone in the room cover their eyes. The original inscription began to shudder, and lower into the ground. Behind, there was another, secret, hallway. Bali recovered first and bustled into the new corridor.

"Okay, trial number two, here we go!" Bali thought, steeling herself. There was a door at the end of the short passage, which Bali opened with little difficulty. She could hear the group coming behind, but she just went on ahead. She needed no encouragement from scum like them.

A tablet stood from the ground, and held what Bali guessed were her next instructions. She squinted to read it, as it was smaller text.

"Look straight into Hapi's eyes, and try not to whimper or cry. For if your smile should turn to a frown, your soul will then be hell-bound." Bali whispered to herself, narrowing her eyes in thought. It was a weird trial to be had. She looked over the stone to see a large statue of the jolly fat man of joy standing and waiting.

"Well, at least I get to blink." Bali thought to herself in amusement. She immediately heard a burst of laughter in her mind. Bali jumped and looked around while clutching her head. Corman's group had caught up by then, and were again in wonderment at Bali's strange behavior.

Bali's eyes met that of Hapi the statue's, and they glistened with humor. She realized that the god himself was laughing at her joke. Bali couldn't help but grin at the infectious giggles still ringing in her head.

Now that she had her smile secured, she walked up to Hapi and stared into his eyes, beginning the second trial.

At first, she could only see his eyes, but her vision went into an illusion of some sort. And she felt the bite. She could feel snakes all over her and it took everything she had to not cry out in pain or let her smile falter.

Throughout the trial, Bali had to endure snakes, scorpions, locusts, scarabs, and mosquitoes. She smiled through it all, a miraculous will to endure the pain and disgust she felt. It seemed to go on for hours in Bali's mind.

"I don't know if I can hold out any longer, but I must try! I can't let Dr. O'Connell get in trouble because of me!" Bali thought fiercely, and the visions stopped. Without really meaning to, she pushed herself away from the statue, falling to the ground.

"What is wrong with her? She looks into the eyes for about a minute and then acts like she's been tortured for hours." One of Corman's lackeys whispered to another, who nodded.

Corman ignored them and picked Bali up off of the ground. She struggled to find her footing, but eventually regained the strength she needed. Corman shoved a canteen of water into her wavering hands. Despite the fact that it was from Corman, she drank gratefully.

Once Bali had had her fill, she moved forward, heart still racing from the illusions. Who knew the god of happiness could put on a trial so cruel? The next hallway that appeared was very different from the first hallway.

If one looked carefully (like one always should in Egyptian temples), one could see the holes where poison darts and arrows waited to be triggered. There were fissures that held hidden blades.

"Everyone should tread lightly. This corridor will kill you with no mercy." Bali warned the group behind her. There were mutters of worry and resettling of guns.

"Well, show us the way Bali." Corman ordered, tapping her shoulder. Bali frowned deeply and growled. But she focused on the dangerous task before her. A part of her found that since there was no stone tablet, this was not a part of her trial. No, the Egyptians just wanted to make her life miserable.

"I hate Egypt." Bali thought, very annoyed with the fact that there were too many traps to count. But Bali noticed all of them and their triggers.

When Corman's group followed, a couple of his men tripped on wire and were consequently sprayed with acid. Their screams of terror and anguish caused Bali to cringe. But she knew if she stopped and didn't focus, she would trigger her own fate as well.

The hallway went for a ways, and some maneuvers were difficult, but Bali's tactical evasion worked, and only those two who were melted were the casualties. The room they entered next lit up automatically, making them gasp.

Bali immediately recognized the stone tablet that had the glyphs for her final stage of the trial. She bent down to read it (as it was much shorter than her), and began to read.

"you must fight the goddess great, shiver and you have sealed your fate. When there is no hope in your gaze, your soul will go to hell's place." Bali spoke aloud.

"Who do you have to fight?" Corman asked breathlessly, after leaping the last chasm.

"The Great Goddess… Isis!" Bali whispered to herself.

"Yes child, now pick up yonder sword and prepare for battle." A foreign voice spoke, a woman's that made Bali respect her immediately. Of course, Corman's group did not understand the ancient dialect, thus making them freak out when they didn't see anyone either. Bali searched out for the sword, but could still not see the goddess Isis either.

Bali took hold of the smooth handle and hoisted up the golden-gleaming blade. The minute she did, the room transformed. Instead of the dusty temple, a clean, present-time-looking room. It was bright, with fresh air and no George Corman. Bali stared in wonder, until Isis appeared.

"Hello, young challenger. Are you ready to begin the final trial that will change the fate of your soul?" She greeted, and pulled out a slim, glimmering blade of her own. Bali gawked at her.

Isis was the most beautiful being she had ever seen. She was tall, with long, tan, slender legs and enviable curves. Her face was concealed by a golden mask, but her long, perfectly straight midnight black hair framed it, making the simple mask look very drab in comparison.

But once Bali's gawking was done, she nodded soberly, a grim frown etching her face. How was one supposed to defeat a god?

"Simple," Bali thought.

"You don't."

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><p><strong>Ah, poor Bali. Heh, so much action and Indiana Jones-y stuff! Not to mention Dr. O'Connell who I don't own either! Along with YGO! But Bali's adventures in sand land are far from over! Review, I can get ideas from them sometimes! ^_^<strong>


	3. Goin' to Egypt

**Here comes the result of Bali's work in this chapter! And we'll finally meet some familiar characters, as well... Enjoy!**

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><p>The minute Bali officially accepted Isis' challenge, she was masked, and clothed similarly to Isis. Bali took a few seconds to look at herself. She was also bare legged, with only a short cotton skirt covering her thighs. She wore a loose top that allowed more motion than what she was formerly wearing. Bali felt lighter than before; almost as if she was free from all burdens. But Isis didn't allow her to get used to anything else, for the goddess lunged, sword out for a simple stab.<p>

"Whoa!" Bali shrieked, lurching herself out of the way. Luckily, Bali landed perfectly, but Isis was not fazed. She charged Bali again, and this time Bali brought up her sword to clash with Isis. The fight had truly begun.

Throughout the ordeal, Isis prodded at Bali's emotions with snide remarks and put-downs. It was very hard for Bali to remember that she couldn't give up or even think about giving up.

"You're just a spoiled child who has no right to that mark on your wrist!" Isis spat, moving easily while Bali grew tired, gaining slower movement.

"That doesn't matter!" Bali croaked, narrowly dodging a downward sweep. Bali was not faring well in her fight. She had landed no blows, yet had taken quite a few minor cuts and gashes.

"You're against me, a goddess! You cannot hope to win! You will die here!" Isis yelled, and Bali retorted despite the fact that she had no strength left.

"I have to win! There are people I am defending! I will win!" Bali called out, lowering her head to take the fatal hit, but glaring up from under her mask (which she had flipped up).

Isis was only inches away from Bali's skull when she stopped. Bali was no longer the only other presence in the room.

"Ra, this fight is not over. I must commence the punishment for her failure!" Isis growled, but a golden aura surrounded the comatose, open-eyed Bali.

"I wouldn't say so. She is still glaring at you despite the fact that you are a goddess and she a mere mortal. This one is worthy." The deep voice of Ra pointed out, and his entity showed. Isis raised her right hand and stuck her left foot forward while bowing. Ra did the same to her, as they were equals in the realm of the gods.

"If that is what you wish." Isis finished, and disappeared. Ra frowned and rolled his eyes at Isis' reaction. He too disappeared, for he had some things to prepare for Bali, his chosen one.

Bali woke up surrounded by Corman's men. The room was normal again and she felt weak. And she believed that she had lost the battle.

"Bali, why isn't anything happening? Don't tell me you failed!" Corman interrogated, shaking Bali violently. Bali was still out of it and very woozy.

"Ugh… ~-~…" She groaned, unable to make intelligent speech. Corman threw her to the ground in anger. Nothing was happening and Corman was guessing that Bali was suffering whatever punishment was given to losers.

"This is ridiculous! Isn't anyone around here competent at all?" Corman fumed, snatching the gun out of Ambrose's hands.

"Boss what're you doing?" Ambrose screeched when the barrel was pointed directly at Bali's head.

"I'm going to save her from whatever punishment those bastard gods have put her in!" Corman replied in a burning rage. The trigger was almost pulled when a bright, burning golden light burst from Bali's form.

"Ah!" the men screamed, as a man stepped from behind Bali, materializing out of thin air. He protected Bali by hiding her from view of Corman.

"O-oh, hello. Sorry, I guess it was a success. Ha- ah, would you like to talk? After all, this little pest was doing this for me…" Corman stuttered, stumbling over his words. The Egyptian gave his a mighty glare, paralyzing all of the men in the room.

"A pest? You are the pests. Be gone!" The Egyptian god commanded, his anger flaring. Corman's group, despite the language barrier, knew trouble as on the wind. But before any of them could try and beg for mercy, Ra raised his hand and banished them to the shadow realm. Ra took in his work for a few seconds before smiling.

"I love doing that."

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><p>"What happened?" Bali asked, once she finally found her voice. Ra had taken her to some sacred realm (as he had explained while she was still stupefied). Ra shrugged (Bali: O_o) and gave a wistful smile.<p>

"I kept them from killing you and bothering your teacher." He told her, watching as she shakily stood.

"Right, thanks. So, I passed the test then?" Bali asked, swallowing hard after putting her left foot forward, lifting her right hand and bowing. Just because she believed this was a hallucination didn't mean she couldn't be careful. Seriously, the god Ra was in front of her. Ra!

"Yes, you did. I have big plans for y-"

"Excuse me?"

"What is it?"

"… Do I get your powers?" Bali asked in curiosity. She _had _passed the ordeal, after all. It wouldn't be right if she did all of that difficult work for nothing, in Bali's mind.

"No." Ra replied, giving a dazzling smile. Bali's jaw dropped indignantly.

"What?" She bellowed, Ra winced, but kept smiling.

"No."

"And why the hell not?" Bali raged, though she didn't move because she knew what Ra had the power to do.

"You have said you hate Egypt 1,028 times in your life. You've thought it even more. I know, I counted. As the protector of Egypt, why would I in my right mind, give my gift of power to someone who hates Egypt?" Ra explained, dousing the flames of rage with cool logic. At Bali's (rare) frustrated pout, Ra sighed.

"Bali, you cannot possess them now. Even the mark of the mehdji is misplaced. Your soul is not ready. You must learn to love again." Ra explained, saddened because of Bali's past.

"I doubt you could change anything." Bali muttered, crossing her arms and looking to the side. Ra threw his arms up in exasperation.

"One does not cross the Realms of the Dead to the Realms of the Living, Bali. You know that as well as I. It's time you started to live again." Ra let loose, making Bali gaze at him sharply.

"What if I don't want to? Lord knows I'm nothing to anyone in this world! Dr. O'Connell took me as her apprentice because she pitied me, not because I'm smart! Why don't you go look for some other sob?" Bali shouted back, and Ra froze her motions with a wave of his hand.

"You do not understand. You do not have a choice in the matter. Destiny brought you here and now you're going to fulfill it! If you cannot prove anything in this time, then you shall go back to when my true descendants lived. Once you learn to forgive and love Egypt, the mark of the mehdji will return to you. Once you care for Egypt as I do, my powers will be yours. Do you understand now, Bali?" Ra elaborated with every seriousness Bali had expected when she first started speaking with him.

"You can't be serious. That's the cheesiest thing I've ever heard. I must be having death hallucinations." Bali spat, her will overpowering Ra's freeze spell as she turned to walk away. Ra sighed in frustration.

"Fine, I guess you'll just have to be forced to understand." And with that, a small snap of Ra's fingers was all it took to send Bali to Egypt, circa 3,000 B.C.

Bali was irate, furious, and generally very angry. She had woken up in the middle of an unfamiliar desert (**where's that one sand dune? Sorry, it just sounds a little ridiculous, even to me**), and was now stomping through said desert. She put the wind to her back, hoping she wasn't where her gut told her she was. She wanted to believe that her meeting with Ra was just some weird dream, but there was no explanation as to why she was out in the desert other than Ra.

The sand dunes started to lower to flatter ground and greener land. And soon enough, Bali came upon the great river itself; the Nile. Bali climbed down the dune cliff she had scaled and looked around. She thought she saw a sail downriver, so she started to follow the flow of the water.

It took forty-five minutes for her to reach what she had seen, that being a village. Only, it was on the opposite side of the river as Bali. But that didn't matter to her at that point, because she finally had her answer as to where she was.

"No… I want to go home, this can't be happening!" Bali thought, dropping to her knees at the sight of the ancient village before her. She could see the streets bustle with activity, and smoke arise from the temple in the middle of the cluster of buildings. It was the call of a man's voice that made her perk up again.

"Hey, woman! Do you need a ride?" A ferryman called, beaching his boat in the reeds next to Bali. Bali looked up at him and he gasped with shock. Bali didn't understand his reaction, but waited for him to speak again, for she didn't know if she could trust him.

The ferryman was still in awe, and in fear. For in his eyes, a beautiful pale woman was glaring down at him with all the stature of a noblewoman. She was wearing strange clothing that he had never seen before, and was therefore afraid. But the look in Bali's eyes were what caused him to speak again. She looked and acted like a goddess, any goddess in any of the legends!

"My lady, do you require passage across the holy river?" He asked again, this time using more dignity in case his former outcry had angered the regal woman. Bali was still maddened by the fact that she was sent back through time, and barely restrained herself from taking it out on him.

"I do. Please take me across." Bali replied, restraint evident in her tone. The ferryman bowed his head as he gestured for Bali to climb into his small boat. Bali stood at the prow, looking out over the Nile as they sped along. To the poor ferryman, she looked even more commanding and regal. Her pale skin gleamed in the sunlight, something the man had never seen.

And at that moment, the ferryman made a decision: this woman _must _be a goddess, and needed an audience with Pharaoh in Thebes. He started to turn the boat so it would go completely downstream with the river.

Bali whipped around for an explanation when she realized what he was doing. Before she could open her mouth to demand one, the ferryman answered.

"Thebes, my lady. To Pharaoh." He stated humbly, raising his right hand in reverence. What Bali didn't realize was that the hand was meant for her, and not for Pharaoh. Meanwhile, Bali stared in suspicion with narrowed eyes, thinking about this change in course.

"Good." Bali decided, and turned back to look over the river. The spray of water was refreshing against the desert sun. Bali milled over all of the Pharaohs the current ruler could possibly be, what she would say to him, and what she could possibly request if she wanted to somehow get back to her time.

Bali was drawn to the afternoon City of the Kings like a moth to flame. Thebes was magnificent, and everything Bali had ever dreamed of when she was a little girl. Even her present day self had to admit it was beautiful.

Bali had found out the ferryman's name was Hutsat. He was a very humble, hardworking man for all Bali could tell. He seemed afraid of Bali, for reasons that were still unclear to Bali. She decided that he was an honest worker, as he was now leading her through Thebes to the palace.

The palace. It was the crown jewel of Thebes, as even the many temples of fine stature seemed to bow to it. Bali stopped to take it in, causing Hutsat to nearly leave her behind.

"My lady-"

"Bali."

"Lady Bali, the palace is even more grand on the inside." He stated nervously. Bali gave him a curious glance.

"Has he been inside before?" She thought, carefully running through possible scenarios. But she kept going, figuring that there had to be plenty of rumors about the palace going around.

"Who goes there?" A guard yelled, once they came into a secured area in front of a grand gate. Hutsat bowed (Bali didn't) and started whispering to the guard. Bali recognized the uniform as that of a captain. Finally, Hutsat pointed towards Bali and the guardsman had much the same reaction as Hutsat when he had first met her.

"Go on ahead. I shall send forward a message to Pharaoh for him to meet with you." He claimed, raising his right hand and letting the two go through.

"Many thanks, comrade." Hutsat murmured to the captain, who had just dispatched a messenger boy. Bali's eyes widened when she heard, but she didn't say a thing. After all, Hutsat had gotten her an audience with Pharaoh.

Many stared at Bali as Hutsat led her through the many halls of the palace. They whispered about Bali and her obvious connection to the gods. Finally, they came to the throne room, and Bali started to feel nervous.

"Pharaoh, I really hope you can help me." Bali prayed, clenching and unclenching her hands with her nervousness. She knew if she said the wrong things, she could get tossed into the Nile for the crocodiles to splurge. The doors opened with a sweep and the next thing Bali knew, Hutsat was on the floor in reverence of his king.

"Hutsat! Please, get off the floor and bring our guest closer." The king called, and Bali looked quickly with surprise at Hutsat.

"He really has been in the palace before! Pharaoh knows his name! Is he some type of spy?" Bali thought, now almost scared. What if the way she had acted was of total disrespect to Pharaoh?

Hutsat motioned for Bali to follow him up to the throne where Pharaoh sat, his court standing around him, six in all.

"Now, who is this?" One of his men called, awe evident in his voice.

"She is Lady Bali, sent from the heavens to try our great land." Hutsat introduced, making her snap her head between the surprised court and Hutsat.

"I never said such a thing!" She yelped, but immediately regretted it.

"Then where do you hail from? Your clothes are foreign and your skin is not touched by the desert. Are you related to Khonsu?" Pharaoh asked, leaning forward in his seat with interest glittering in his wizened purple eyes. Bali decided to just tell the truth and risk getting thrown in prison for being called a lunatic.

"The great Ra has sent me… To live amongst you to gain, uh… Experience?" Okay, so it was a half truth, but one that garnered strict attention from Pharaoh especially.

"How do we know you do not lie to us, Lady Bali?" Another of Pharaoh's court asked cautiously, and Bali felt herself start to panic. What could she do to prove herself? It was Hutsat that saved her. He grabbed her wrist (the same one that held the mark of the mehdji) and showed the court, much to Bali's interest herself. She hadn't noticed that the mark had changed.

"The mark of Ra!"

"It's the Boat of Life!"

"Only a true descendant of Ra could have such a mark." Were the astonished remarks that came from the court. Pharaoh held up his hands for silence, which he promptly received.

"Lady Bali, you have proved yourself to be genuine and therefore are welcome in my home. Let it be known that a daughter of Ra shall be a permanent guest in the palace! Prepare a room and gather the servants, for tonight we feast in honor of her presence!" Pharaoh decreed, and it was done swiftly. Sounds of shuffling feet and muffled yells could be heard outside the room.

"Pharaoh," Bali started, but he held his hand up.

"Address me as Akhnemkhanen, for we are of equal status." He introduced kindly, smiling at Bali with every happiness. Bali couldn't help but give a small smile back.

"Just call me Bali." She said in return. Unfortunately, Akhnemkhanen was a busy man at the moment, and Bali was shown to her room. When Bali got to her room, she didn't know what to say to the slave who had shown her there. Before she could figure something out, the slave bowed and scurried away, leaving Bali feeling awkward. However, Bali couldn't ignore the room for long when she opened the door.

"Holy Ra…" (Ra: "Teeheehee…") Bali whispered. It was a large spacious suite with windows facing the Nile with large luxurious curtains drawn around them. In fact, there were heavy curtains all about the room along with large cushions and a couple of lounge chairs where Bali could lay back and relax. Her bed was low-lying, large and had curtains around it as well. And the last thing was a deck facing to a courtyard where many other rooms faced. Bali guessed that the largest she saw was connected to Akhnemkhanen's own room.

All in all, it was more than Bali would ever have imagined. There were bells to summon servants and slaves, statues of cats and various gods to decorate and bless the room. The floors were made of a marble-like stone and the walls painted beautifully with different stories and designs.

"My lady, we have come to properly dress you for the feast. We shall have your current costume cleaned for you. My name is Mery and this is Su. We will be your maids for everything you call upon us to do." a woman in her mid-thirties bellowed from behind Bali, making her turn slowly from inspecting the room. The two maids were bowing, waiting for Bali to recognize them.

"Right. Now, what do you have for me today?" Bali asked, allowing them to get out of reverence mode. They looked nervous at saying anything.

"It's alright, no need to be nervous. In the heavens, Hapi is one of my greatest friends, as he calls me 'Bali the Funny.'" Bali assuaged, and grinned as the two maids couldn't help but giggle.

We shall paint you (Bali: /:|-?), and wash you and clothe you and fix the ornaments and pretty up your hair." Su addressed excitedly.

"Though not in that order." Mery added sternly, making Bali grin even more. Bali knew that despite the status difference between them, they would be good friends to her.

And so, the preparation started with Bali getting dragged to a washroom (which was connected to her own), which had already been prepared with a tub of steaming water. And from then on, Bali's mood lowered slightly. She was frustrated with the whole operation, because Mery and Su did everything for her, even scrub her down.

After bathing and getting hair oils rubbed into her scalp, Bali stood staring at the clothing she was to wear. She hugged her robe to herself as she thought about how demoralizing the clothing would be back home. She came from a time where women had just started to realize their freedom to dress however they wanted. But Mery tore the robe off with veteran expertise, making Bali yelp as the air hit her bare skin.

When she was done dressing, she was in a fine linen skirt with slits up the side to her hip area, with belts of gold hanging down strands of silver with the occasional jade piece.

"Can I ask for something to cover my chest?" Bali squeaked when she realized that there was nothing covering her breasts at all. Mery and Su looked at each other with confusion.

"Why? You look fine as it is." Mery questioned. Bali fought quickly in her brain for an answer.

"If and when I run, I don't like them to… You know…" Bali stated awkwardly, biting her lip as she felt her cheeks get hot. She had never had to say something so embarrassing in her life! But Mery and Su got the point, and were not surprised at the excuse. Su ran to a closet and pulled out a wide strip of linen that was decorated with a couple of feathers dyed green. Mery and Su tied the sash around Bali's chest in a suitable fashion, and Bali was forced to be satisfied.

Next, they gave her slipper-like shoes and started to paint a couple of images on her arms. They glorified the mark of Ra on her wrist and when they were finished with that, focused on her face.

Mery brandished a brush that was laden with kohl while Su applied lip paint. Bali had a hard time sitting still for this part, because she was afraid Mery would poke her eye out. After the face paint, came a beautiful headdress. It was a circlet of gold, following the theme of the belts and hanging down strands of silver and jade into her hair. Bracelets were slid onto her wrists, and silver pieces clamped around her upper arms. Anklets of gold were clicked on and rings slid onto her fingers. They finally stopped after putting jade earrings in their respectful place. The only correction that was made was an adjusting of the beautiful pectoral (the big, fanning necklace Egyptians wore). Other than that, Bali figured that their work was astonishing. They were barely speaking, they were awed so much.

"You were beautiful before, my Lady, but now…" Mery complimented quietly, and Bali looked to Su who started gaping.

"You're the most amazing being I've ever laid eyes on." Su finished, and Bali was shown to a mirror. She was surprised to see that, even though back home she would look like a total whore, Egypt looked astounding on her. The amount of paint and cosmetics weren't suffocating and the hair oils made her hair shine with health. The image of Ra on her headdress made her frown a little (she still had a bone or two to pick with him), but Mery spoke up to draw her away from the mirror.

"The headdress was hard to find, as most women wear wigs, Lady Bali. We hope it pleases you." Mery said, noticing that Bali had been eyeing the headdress.

"It pleases me. I like my hair, I would never want to shave it off." Bali confirmed, nodded her head towards the two in approval.

"You have around an hour until the feast is to begin, Lady Bali. We advise that you stay inside your room. You should save your majesty for Pharaoh." Mery advised, and Bali nodded, promptly looking about for something to do. Mery and Su went to go clean up the mess they had made in her washroom and Bali, having found nothing interesting, couldn't help but secretly listen in on their conversation.

"Oh Mery, she was so excellent! I wonder what Atem will think of her." Su giggled, and Mery snorted.

"I doubt he'll be around tonight. He's been off gallivanting around so much, nobody knows when he's actually in the palace." Mery said with amusement. Su giggled in response and Bali decided to leave at that.

"Atem, huh? Probably some kid servant who's a friend of theirs. Hope the guy doesn't get caught sloughing his duties. He'll be in a heap of trouble if he is." Bali thought with interest. She had never found any sort of gossip fun, but she could get news about the palace this way. Bali passed the balcony, and she looked around and shrugged.

"Technically it's a part of my room." She declared in English, knowing that Mery and Su wouldn't hear her. Bali stepped outside to get a good look at the courtyard she would soon be exploring once this feast business was over with.

"I wonder if Ra meant for this to happen. Because it's not funny." Bali thought, disgruntled by the fact that the breeze had blown her skirt around. She stared around in peace until she heard some noise below. Bali looked over the side to see what the commotion was about.

What she saw was a cheekily grinning young man run from what looked like a couple of priests. He had strange, tri-colored hair that Bali didn't even want to begin to explain. The way he dressed made him someone of some rank, especially because of the way he carried himself. But otherwise, he was just another troublemaker in Bali's eyes. Bali sighed and retreated inside once she stopped caring about the outside. She had logged all of the places she wanted to explore in her mind.

"Mery, Su!" Bali called, and there was a crash of some sort from the washroom and they stumbled to stand before her.

"Yes ma'am?" The said in unison, and Bali sat carefully on one of the lounge cushions and smiled devilishly. The maids gulped at the sight.

"Why don't you two tell me about yourselves." Bali suggested, knowing smugly that they couldn't refuse. Mery and Su looked at each other in worry, but sat on the bare floor before Bali. Mery began after clearing her throat.

"I've been working in the palace since my husband died of illness fifteen years ago. I originally come from a coastal village by the great eastern sea (the Red Sea). I came here as a maid and midwife and eventually made my way up. I enjoy the palace, and feel very at home here. Though sometimes I wish to visit my village, I suppress it with work in the palace." Mery explained, tugging at a wooden carving around her neck. Apparently, it had been her husband's before he died, and he had given it to her before he spoke his last words. Bali now wished she had not brought up such a topic, as it obviously pained Mery to remember. Thankfully, Su picked up her side of the story and expelled most of the gloominess.

"I'm only fifteen, but I became an assistant to Mery when I was nine and she's kept me at her side ever since. I was born and raised in Thebes. Also, I have a friend who is training to be a magician here, and I wanted to keep in contact while she was in the palace." Su exclaimed, and Bali's interest was piqued at the word magician.

"Tell me more of these magicians. Do they have a leader?" Bali asked, astounded by the fact that Egyptians might not only have priests, but magicians as well.

"They've always been around. Master Miknodhma is the leader, but the Millennium Ring will surely be passed down to his son Mahad soon." Su explained simply, and Bali was again intrigued by the 'Millennium Ring' Su had spoken of.

"So the Millennium Items di- do exist!" Bali thought out loud, having had caught herself in time.

"This is just like the story of the nameless Pharaoh with the Millennium Puzzle!" Bali remembered, and painful images came with the memory, so she shut them away immediately.

"Yes, each of the bearers of the items are in Pharaoh's court, including Pharaoh with the Millennium Puzzle. They have defeated many enemies of Egypt with their power." Mery replied, and Bali inwardly smacked herself for not noticing the items when she was in the court's presence.

"If only Dr. O'Connell could know about this. She'd go bananas if she heard." Bali thought, nostalgia of her teacher washing over her in a wave of sadness.

"As long as I'm here and kept from my real home, I can't be happy. I want to leave Egypt so much. I will never forgive it for the pain it has caused me." Bali continued to think, hoping Ra was listening and would get the fact that she wasn't happy at all, despite the pleasantries of the palace. She was just trying to survive, was all she was doing.

"You're just in denial." Ra's voice rang in her head, making Bali shoot up into a standing position in anger. Mery and Su scrambled up after her, scared by the sudden expression and actions of their mistress.

"How dare you say that!" Bali screamed in her head, but a knock on the door made her ditch the conversation in her head.

"Mery! The feast is about to begin! I am here to escort our guest to the grand hall." A deep, commanding voice sounded, and Bali went to answer despite his call to Mery. She pulled aside her door to see a tall, handsome young man boldly smirking down at her. Bali completely forgot about her anger with Ra at the sight of him and gave the man a smile.

"Might as well have some fun while I'm here." Bali thought, sizing up the man in front of her to be around her age. He was extremely attractive, and Bali couldn't help but let her smile grow at this fact.

"Hello." Bali greeted, looking into his brilliant blue eyes. He reached forward, took her hand and slowly kissed it, his eyes never leaving Bali's.

"Hello." He replied finally, carefully taking Bali's hand into his to guide her. The timbre of his voice made Bali shiver with delight. They started off, while Mery and Su stared after her.

Just by looking at the two, they could tell they were intrigued by each other, though it was definitely not of the 'love at first sight' type of happening. Su snickered.

"Something tells me that one of these nights, Lady Bali isn't coming back to her room." She wagered and Mery pinched the cartilage of Su's ear, making her yelp at the pain.

"That'll be enough of that. Physical attraction can be a dangerous thing. Now, let us finish cleaning Lady Bali's washroom." Mery ordered, stalking back inside. The fifteen year old pouted and began to follow. Before Mery could yell at her again, Su peeked out to catch a glimpse of Bali and the usually very serious priest. She giggled into her hand and ran to the washroom.

* * *

><p><strong>Ooooh, who is Bali flirting around with? Did everyone enjoy the fact that I named the maids Mery and Su? I honestly hadn't realized I had named them that until I read the story aloud to myself. But it was too funny to change. I don't own the YGO characters you have met. Review Please! And my thanks to those who have, and have also tagged this story as a favorite! Yer all kewl!<strong>


	4. River, Oh River

**Let the feasting begin! You all should be glad I posted, because I have an AP exam tomorrow! I don't own anything YGO! because it belongs to Takahashi Kazuki. Right, here we go!**

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><p>Bali did not have any sort of feelings for this man, this she knew. But the physical attraction made her nerves spark in excitement. His name is Seth, a newer priest and a genius for his age. He had no problem in telling her of this. Bali was a little pissed that she had nothing to brag about herself, seeing as the Egyptians didn't have archeologists.<p>

"Stupid Ra and his stupid time travel…" Bali cursed in her mind, but immediately put her attention back to Seth.

"Lady Bali, how long will you be staying?" He asked quietly, for they had turned the last corner before the giant entrance to the feasting hall.

"Hopefully not for long…" Bali muttered to herself in English, but Seth heard and gave her a strange look.

"What?"

"Ah, nothing. But we are here, so I shall answer your question later." Bali covered, and Seto nodded, both straightening with their hands leaving each other.

The palace servants and Pharaoh's men had outdone themselves. The grand hall was lavishly decorated, with tapestries embellished with the same mark as on her wrist. The long dining tables were lined with fine cushions, and Pharaoh sat at the head, his court surrounding him. That is, except for his right hand spot. Bali assumed that this spot was reserved for her. Bali went up to Pharaoh and dipped her head in greeting. Akhnemkhanen spread his arms when he turned from talking to the man at his left side.

"Bali, my dear, you look simply marvelous! Sit, child!" He invited, which Bali promptly accepted. She looked down to see where Seth was sitting, eventually finding him way farther than she expected. He met her eyes and gave her a flirtatious smirk. Bali looked away feeling naughty. Bali felt uncomfortable sitting with Pharaoh and his court, for his court only glanced in her direction before continuing their former conversations. The woman next to her, Bali noticed, had a golden necklace that made Bali's thoughts run a mile a minute. It was a Millennium Item!

"Bali, how did you like your room?" Akhnemkhanen asked, seeing that she felt out of place. Bali smiled gratefully.

"It's beautiful. I especially love the balcony." Bali answered, remembering the wonderful views of the Nile. Which also led her thought process to that weird haired troublemaker from earlier. She shook it out of her head when the other high priests decided that, since Pharaoh had spoken to her, they could as well.

"How do you do, Lady Bali." The man across from her greeted, bowing his head. Bali nodded, and uttered her well-being. The man had, from what she could guess, the Millennium Eye. Bali personally thought it was freaky, but she kept her tactful standing in front of all of these powerful noblemen.

"I am Akhenaden, bearer of the Millennium Eye and brother of our great king." He continued, eyeing his brother with pure amusement.

"Guess that's why we look so much alike!" Pharaoh joked, throwing an arm around his brother. Bali smiled at the sight, glad to know that there was no ill will between the brothers.

'Unlike many of the Hamlet storylines I've come to know.' Bali thought, chuckling a little at the image before her. She had never had a sibling, not even anyone close to fitting that image. It made her feel kind of jealous. But moments later, Akhnemkhanen stood and spread his arms in welcome to gain everyone's attention.

"Hello, my good friends! Tonight, we honor a new and exciting guest here in our great land! Lady Bali, sent by our great guardian Ra, has come to live among us! I welcome her to my family and she has gracefully accepted our charity! Lady Bali, a few pleasing words, if you please?" Akhnemkhanen invited, reaching down and raising his goblet for a toast. Bali was caught completely off guard.

"A toast? Benbridge Scholars never said anything about making toasts at dinner!" Bali groaned in her mind, but stood up with her cup as well.

"May the gods bless you as I do, friends." She bellowed shortly, not knowing of anything else she could possibly say. But it seemed good enough, and everyone drank with a cheer, and the feast officially began.

The feast was an excellent show of ancient Egyptian culture. The date wine was delicious (and Bali couldn't help but feel empowered by the fact that she could drink), and all of the different foods smelled and tasted wonderful. Bali ate many fruits candied in honey, and it was simply marvelous.

"Lady Bali, excuse me for not introducing myself earlier. I am Seshat, and bear the Millennium Tauk." the woman next to Bali introduced, and Bali nodded with a small smile.

"It's nice to meet you." Bali said in return, slightly awed by the fact that a woman had gained a position in Pharaoh's court. Such happenings were unheard of, well, from an archeologist's standpoint.

"My powers include that of seeing the future, Lady Bali. And from what I can see, you're going to be very happy here." Seshat informed, also gaining a soft smile on her face. Bali rolled her eyes once she turned away.

"I highly doubt that's going to be true." Bali thought to herself.

"I wouldn't be so sure, little kitten." Ra sounded once more, making Bali jump. She didn't forget to keep quiet, but gained a look of extreme anger.

"Don't be so sure I'm not going to belt you when I see you next! And don't you dare call me little kitten ever again!" Bali thought back hotly.

"Whatever. Unfortunately, I have business to attend to. Behave yourself, **little kitten." **Ra replied casually, and Bali raged in her head, but he was gone.

"Lady Bali, are you alright?" Akhenaden questioned, seeing that Bali looked about ready to explode. She glanced in his direction, and found that everyone was staring at her. She held up her hands.

"Everything's fine here, just a random thought angered me a little because I pondered it too much." Bali made up, all the while swearing that she would get revenge on Ra. The rest of the evening went without a hitch, and Ra truly was gone, much to Bali's pleasure. After the meal portion was done, slaves came out and took everything but the honeyed sweets away and left water bowls for washing. It was when the dancers came out that Bali was leery-eyed.

"This is uncomfortable." Bali thought, twiddling her fingers around each other. The girls were barely dressed, something Bali was not used to being around yet. Seshat graced Bali's shoulder with a reassuring hand.

"Don't worry, I don't like it either. Unfortunately, we two cannot say a word to show our displeasure." She whispered, and Bali sighed. Back home, Bali could refute such behavior. But here, women had no rights. And a prime example of this came strolling up to Bali with his ever-so-charming smirk.

"It would be pleasing to see you dance, Lady Bali." Seth brought up, and most at the table agreed. Bali began to panic. She knew nothing of their dances. She, for what they believed, did men's work in the future. And she was pretty sure they didn't waltz or polka.

"I'm sorry, but I-" Bali started, and Seth narrowed his eyes and his smile disappeared.

"What kind of woman does not dance?" He asked, a tactless comment in Bali's ears. She shakily stood up (the wine had made her a little tipsy) and glared ferociously.

"My kind, you skuzz!" She yelled in English, making the crowd of the room go silent and stare in shock. A foreign sound in which Bali spoke must be some kind of heavenly speech, not destined for human understanding.

Bali promptly and savagely stomped down on Seth's foot and flounced away in a flurry of rage. Akhnemkhanen called for her to return, but she ignored his pleas. She wanted out, she wanted to go home, where she was free to be whoever!

"I can never settle down here. I am a woman who deserves the freedom she worked hard for! Stupid, pig-headed men!" Bali declared in her mind, blindly making turns, not caring as long as she got away from the feast. Not many servants or slaves were around to stop her at all; they were all at her welcoming.

She eventually came to the Nile, a beautiful flow of water coming to meet masterfully built stairs and a small sanctuary. Bali plopped down on the first stair, folding both legs up to hug them. She sat, staring over the great river and the last of the setting sun. And slowly, tears started to run down her cheeks. Her eyes turned to a glare and she squeezed her legs closer.

"I hate Egypt."

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><p>Atem smiled with satisfaction about his very wonderful day. He had accomplished quite a bit of mayhem, which was especially needed in the palace because there was an important feast going on.<p>

Atem loved bothering the servants, playing pranks on the priests and generally causing trouble for the palace. Why did the honorable Crown Prince of Egypt behave so badly?

Simple: He is the honorable Crown Prince of Egypt. The only person who could call him out was his father, but he never did. So, Atem was free to cause as much mayhem as he wanted. And boy, did he. Let's look over his day with him, shall we?

First, he let loose all of the horses and camels from their stables and tiled them up. Then, he galloped into town on his own horse to look for some fun (not **that **kind of fun; I know what you all were thinking!).

What he ended up doing was ultimately satisfying. He was friends with many of the children in town, and there were two he proclaimed the leaders.

One was a little girl named Mutnodjmet, who was pretty outspoken and was very feisty. Her co-leader was a boy named Sethi, who was only a little calmer than Mutnodjmet.

Atem played around with them for quite awhile, but decided that he was hungry enough to head back to the palace. When he got there, he stole into the kitchens and snuck some food, angering the cooks. They screamed when he threw a dead mouse (courtesy of his cat, At), his reply to their angry yells and stern words. And after his meal, Atem had wandered for a short time, but his teacher, Master Miknodhma, found him and roped him into the magic lessons he usually skipped.

It was always "You need to learn to control the Millennium Puzzle!" and "Stop goofing around, you're going to be pharaoh very soon!" Atem hated it. He didn't want to be so proper and perfect. Atem wanted to be himself. The only upside to lessons were his two friends, Mana and Mahad. Mana had been his best friend since he could remember and so was Mahad. Mahad knew what Atem was going through, because he was getting lectured on the Millennium Ring.

Thankfully, Mahad distracted his father and Mana covered for him, so Atem could sneak away. Atem was glad he had friends like them. Of course, it also meant sneaking some sweets from the kitchen, but… It was worth it.

When Atem made sure he was safe, he looked to the sky to determine what time it was. And, to Atem's great pleasure, it was time for the priests to begin their prayers to the different gods of the region. The Great Flood was coming soon, and Hapi was to be praised so it would be a good one. Atem disliked the routine, but was glad he rarely had to participate. For today, he planned on an incense bomb to smoke the priests out _and _pay his respects at the same time. His plan worked of course, but what he didn't count on was a couple of the priests to get so angry they chased after him.

Atem laughed and ran, leading them on a wild goose chase through the palace. He knocked down statues, pots and even slaves in his oppressors' way. They finally gave up when Atem got to the royal courtyard where all of the balconies looked over, including his own.

Atem felt eyes on him while he jogged away from the scolding priests. He searched up and around, and caught a glimpse of a beautiful woman retreating into her room. Atem gaped, and began wondering who she was and why she was in a room that was built for family. _His_ family.

And so, Atem set out to find out the answers to his questions. The best people to seek out for these things were, of course, the maids. The maids know everything that goes on in the palace. He headed to their quarters to get his information.

"Memnet! What is the news of this woman I saw?" Atem called, addressing the head maid once he got there. She looked up from mending some linen and shrugged.

"What woman did you see? There are many in this palace, my prince." She replied simply, not even looking to Atem. He sighed exasperatedly and gave a pout.

"There's someone in my sister's old room. Now who is this guest?" Atem specified, and the old woman shrugged again.

"Hutsat brought a goddess to Pharaoh's table. I am told that Lady Bali is to stay with yourself and your father. And since you're so 'busy' and Sarin-an-Munad is visiting your eldest sister, neither of you have met her. Mery and Su have been assigned to them. You should be pestering them for answers, not me. Now shoo!" Memnet explained plainly, wanting to get the prince out of her hair. Atem thanked her quickly, and headed swiftly for his older sister's old room, to find Mery and Su.

"I haven't gone to Ibir-nu-Abn's room since she was married and moved to that southern kingdom." Atem reminisced as he passed his own room to get to this 'Lady Bali's' room.

Mery and Su were just about to leave Bali's room, having finished cleaning up her washroom. They saw Atem and bowed instantly in respect.

"It's fine, it's fine, now get up." Atem snapped impatiently and both maids stood straight. Su had a smile, and Mery just looked annoyed.

"Where is this Bali?" Atem demanded, and the maids looked to each other.

"She is on her way to the feast that was prepared to welcome her. Since I know you don't like many public events, you'll probably meet her later. Can whatever you're so antsy about wait?" Mery answered calmly. This answer completely deflated Atem's excitement. He had to wait, something he did not like to do. But Mery was correct on the fact that he wouldn't go near the feast. Atem didn't care **that** much.

"I guess it will have to." Atem growled, disappointed with himself and the fact that he had missed his chance to meet her in his own way. He didn't want to be crown prince. He wanted to trick her into thinking he was a servant. But, he wouldn't go to that feast no matter what, so he swept off to his room. Once he was alone, he started muttering to himself (as Atem looked back on this part of his day, he frowned).

All he had done was pace around and wonder why he wanted to see this woman so badly. All he could remember was that one image of the pale creature going back through the curtains. Even though he had not seen her face, she had enraptured him somehow. Hadn't Memnet said that she was a goddess or something? Maybe that was why. But during his waiting period, he had taken a nap, paced some more, set out a prank for a couple of servants he didn't like down the hall, read from a couple of books, paced more, slept more, and was generally bored out of his mind. It was around sunset that Atem finally snapped with impatience and decided to just show up late and call that his unruly deed.

Atem remembered how undignified the whole place had looked when he got there. Priest Seth was nursing his foot, and Pharaoh looked ashamed while he gave a lecture, Atem's uncle throwing in a few words as well. Because of the distracted scene, Atem decided to just get a servant to tell him the happenings.

"Lady Bali was asked to dance for everyone by Lord Seth, and she screamed some other language, savaged his foot and stormed off. We do not know where she has gone, for Pharaoh has forbidden anyone to search. He is being cautious of the goddess' anger." The man relayed, trembling under his prince's gaze. Atem nodded and decided to proceed with a search of his own. After looking practically everywhere, and finding out that there were some things the maids didn't know, Atem gave up. He stopped, started to relax, and looked back on his day to make himself feel better about his failure. Atem also started to plan tomorrow's events, and included a meeting with Bali.

This is where we find the prince now, walking around in the cooling air, thinking back on it and believing it to be quite productive. As he walked past a gate leading to a sanctuary of the Nile, he heard a sniffle. Atem stopped walking and listened.

"*sniff*" he heard again, and Atem became curious. He snuck around the gate and kept to the thick, bushy trees that lined the wall. What he found, sitting on the stairs, was the same figure he had seen on the balcony.

"Finally, I've found you!" Atem whispered to himself, pleased with his sudden fortune. Atem made sure he looked somewhat presentable, and just walked right out as quietly as possible. He sat down on the step a few feet away and didn't look at Bali, who was staring out over the river, kohl-stained tears running down her face. Atem noticed that there was no sobbing, just tears.

Bali noticed that the same troublemaker from earlier had found her, and he didn't say a word. Bali slid her eyes over to get a glimpse of him looking at her. She moved her eyes back to stare at the moon. Soon after, Atem scooted a little closer. A few minutes passed, and he scooted closer. And closer…

Bali tried to ignore him, but he was starting to get on her nerves, so she stood to leave. Bali walked off briskly, and started to look for any sort of information resembling a map. Atem stood and walked briskly after her, feeling very accomplished because he was annoying her. Whenever Bali went faster, he did too. Wherever she turned, he followed. Bali glanced back every once in awhile to find that he was still there. Finally, Bali lost it.

"Why are you following me?" She snapped, rounding on Atem and putting her hands on her hips, staring meanly. Atem stopped abruptly and gave a cheesy grin.

"You never said I couldn't." He replied, earning a deeper frown.

"I never said you could, either. Now what do you want? You want me to dance for you or something? Because I won't!" Bali built up frustration, not meaning to add on the last part. Atem's eyebrows shot to his hairline.

"No, of course not. I wouldn't expect you to dance-" He said, baffled. Bali's expression softened in confusion.

"-besides, you look far to clumsy." He finished, and Bali looked furious once more. Atem only kept up his smile, and Bali stared at him like he was an alien.

"Who are you?" She demanded, because the whole palace believed she was a goddess, so why was he frustrating her?

"Just the humble servant Atem, at your service." He replied, giving a sweeping bow. Bali snorted and he looked up.

"You're no servant; you're too well dressed for that." Bali pointed out, and Atem smiled with satisfaction.

"Ah, so you aren't completely dumb after all." He teased, and was chased by the enraged Bali. Atem, of course, knew she was lost, so he decided to take pity on her.

"You know, you're awfully cheeky to one of Pharaoh's guests. Don't you know who I am?" Bali inquired, too tired to keep up with Atem. Atem slowed to a walk, so he could still lead Bali.

"You're Lady Bali, some goddess Hutsat brought here, am I right?" He answered, putting his hands out while walking backwards. Bali smirked.

"Ah, so you're not completely dumb after all." She replied, making Atem chuckle.

"Good one." Atem muttered after he was done, retaining his slight smile.

Bali didn't know what to think of this guy. She wanted to strangle him, but at the same time, he was the most intellectually stimulating person she had found. The ambivalence was making her question whether or not she could trust Atem.

Atem, on the other hand, was very pleased. And not really because she didn't know he was the prince, but because…. She was fun. She wasn't like any of the stiffs that always stayed around the palace. He had expected a pompous windbag, but Bali was fun to talk with. Atem decided at that moment that he would hang around her more often, and that she wouldn't be at the end of many of his pranks.

"You caused quite a stir at the feast, I hear. Last I knew, Priest Seth was getting a lecture from Pharaoh and the high priests." Atem commented, watching Bali's eyes light up with some type of happiness.

"Serves him right. Jerk." She muttered, but Atem heard and grinned widely.

"Is there some special reason you were so angry at Priest Seth?" Atem inquired slyly, noticing a faint blush turn up under her kohl-smeared cheeks.

"What's with all of the questions? Anyway, I need to get back to my room, so if you don't mind-"

"Not at all! I'll take my leave of you, but I promise I'll see you soon!" Atem cheerily waved off, running down the hall too fast for Bali to call after him.

"What a jerk! He left me here before I could ask… directions…" Bali fumed, but noticed as she looked around that Atem had left her right in front of her door. Feeling foolish for not noticing, Bali went inside and rung the bells for Mery and Su. It didn't take long for both of them to show. Questions poured about why she had left early and why she looked terrible, but Bali refused to tell. She was scrubbed off again, and put into a light tunic to sleep in.

"Good night, Lady Bali." They called, for Bali had decided to sleep early after her long day and emotional rollercoaster ride. Bali replied accordingly and tugged the thin blankets over her forms. The bed was comfortable and her pillows were extremely plush. It was easy for Bali to fall asleep.

"I don't even know why he's in the palace…" Bali yawned, and sleep claimed her. Little did she know, but Atem was right down the hall, going to sleep early as well, and thinking about his interesting meeting with Bali.

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><p><strong>Hooray, I've finally introduced Atem! And poor Seth and his foot! Reviews are my request, as always! Thanks very much!<strong>


	5. Here at the Palace

**Sorry for the slight delay. AP tests are killers! Anyways, Bali has some fun with Atem today! I don't own YGO! That belongs to Takahashi Kazuki. **

**A big thanks to everyone who reviewed, I loved them all. Unfortunately, I cannot reply because something is being stupid ^^; anyways, it really does bring a big smile to my face! Hope you enjoy!**

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><p>When Bali woke up the next morning, it was still early and the air was cool. In fact, Bali had rested so well that she had to wait for her maids to get up instead of them waiting for her. Bali was expecting to have to get gussied up again, but Mery and Su disagreed much to Bali's relief.<p>

"You were dressed formally for the feast, Lady Bali. You can wear somewhat normal clothes today. You will still want your sash, yes?" Mery explained, and Bali nodded vigorously. She wouldn't dare let anyone see her in something so… open.

"Well, might as well get going. I have a feeling Pharaoh will want to speak with me after last night. I'm sure you've already heard about what happened." Bali sighed, ashamed of her temper. But that priest had _really _pissed her off. Su nodded, not quite awake yet but giving a smile none-the-less.

"Honestly, I am glad you acted that way. The palace has never been so exciting. I also heard that you met Atem. What did you think of him?" Mery asked, finishing up on Bali's kohl and moving on to the small golden circlet that would be fixed around Bali's head. Bali shrugged.

"He was interesting. From the way he acted, he's some snobby rich kid, though he tried to trick me into thinking that he was a servant. Seeing as I'm not that gullible, I know he's of nobility. But there's something that intrigues me, besides the feeling that I get to strangle him. Of course, I also have a feeling that he'll be around a lot." Bali relayed, talking on and not moving while the maids did their work.

"Yes, he's nobility. He's a bit of a trickster, and he stays because he's training as a magician, among other things." Su replied, and Mery grinned despite herself. The two, earlier that morning, had been sworn to secrecy that they would not tell Bali that he was the Crown Prince. It was a fun secret to hold, and the maids had no problem with it. Even they liked a good prank when it wasn't on them.

"Oh, that's interesting. Maybe I'll run into him again today." Bali muttered, processing the information against her meeting with him last night. It seemed correct. And Bali didn't see any reason for the maids to lie. A couple of hassles later, Bali made for the courtyard to explore. If Pharaoh wanted to speak with her, then he would have to get her, because honestly she didn't want to talk about it.

Servants and slaves bowed as she walked through the halls, going down stairs and following her instincts. Thankfully, they led her to the courtyard like she wished, and the gardens were incredible. Exotic-looking flowers bloomed to the morning sun, and Bali smiled. She bent down to smell one such flower when she caught a glimpse of her Ra mark. Bali leaned back again and scowled. It was morning, which meant that Ra would be listening in on her thoughts again.

"Yep, I'm here. Good morning, kitten. Enjoying my victory?" as if on cue, Ra spoke in her mind.

"It was good until you came in." Bali thought, making Ra chuckle.

"At least you're letting me call you kitten. I promise I'll only butt in if I find you too offensive." Ra pointed out, and Bali stomped her foot in frustration. Unknown to her, a figure had seen this action, and stood hiding behind a plant with large leaves.

"Then prepare to be offended, moron." Bali insulted, sticking her tongue out for emphasis.

"What are you doing? Is the wine from last night's feast getting to you after a night of sleep?" the person finally revealed himself, grinning widely when Bali jumped and began to search for him. Her eyes narrowed when they met his.

"No, I'm perfectly fine Atem. Now buzz off, I'm exploring." Bali snapped, turning to walk away, but Atem ran and caught her arm.

"I was only kidding. Don't they have jokes where you come from?" He asked defensively with a laugh. Bali gave him an enigmatic stare for a couple of seconds, making Atem let go of her arm. He had never seen anyone give a look of that sort. It wasn't necessarily angry, but negative energy definitely came from her version.

"You're not here as a messenger for Pharaoh, are you?" She asked finally, and Atem blinked, and suddenly realized why she had stared at him the way she had.

"No, of course not. I don't see him very often." Atem laughed, and Bali's tension dissipated.

"Then, what do you want? If it's not important, then please just leave me alone. I hear you're quite the mischievous one around here. I'm not going to be a victim of this." Bali lectured, and Atem threw his hands behind his head while rolling his eyes.

"Weeeeeeell…" He drew out, looking at Bali from the corners of his eyes. Bali crossed her arms with little patience.

"I _was _going to be nice and show you around the palace, and show you all of the good spot to hide away from anything stressing. But you're in a bad mood, so I won't bother you. After all, knowing your own way around isn't _that_ important. See you around." Atem elaborated, sounding nonchalant and uncaring as he waved and started to leave. Bali stared after him in surprise.

"3... 2... 1..." Atem counted in his head as he walked.

"Wait!" Bali called, and Atem turned with a grin as his countdown proved correct.

"Right, let's get going! First of all, you know your way around the courtyard. That's good if you want to get away from servants and the like, but you're missing all of the best parts of the palace if you stay here." Atem began explaining, grabbing Bali's wrist (catching sight of the Ra mark once more) and pulling her along.

"Can't we go at a more reasonable speed? You're tearing my arm off!" Bali complained, and Atem slowed down. This time, he was impatient.

"There's too much to be seen for going slow! And who knows when you'll be free at the same time as me!" He whined, but didn't go fast at all. Bali looked at him with confusion.

"He's really weird. I don't know if I like him yet. But I do need to know my way around, so I might as well take advantage of it. And seriously, how does someone get hair like that? It's not bad-looking, but… How?" Bali pondered, still paying attention to what he was saying at the same time.

After a morning filled with getting acquainted with the palace and Atem, Bali was hungry from the lack of a good breakfast. Her stomach had growled obtrusively, and Bali looked away in embarrassment when Atem started laughing.

"I guess I should show you the kitchens next. I mean, you can ring for a servant to get food, but I like my way better." Atem said, and Bali had to wonder what kind of terrible things he had done to the poor cooks. It didn't take that long to find the kitchens, and Bali was amazed at how busy it was. Bali guessed it was around lunch time for everyone because every cook and servant and slave appeared to be stressed.

"Now, watch and learn. Wait here." Atem instructed, and darted into the mayhem that was the kitchens. Bali winced as yells and screeches were heard seconds later. They sounded angry. Atem ran past her moments later, arms laden with food. Bali turned to catch up with him.

"He was so fast!" She thought, feeling pity for the kitchen people. After all, now they had to ready something else for whoever's food Atem had just stolen. Bali was glad for the sash to run after Atem, but kept a firm hand on it to make sure it didn't slip.

"You kept up with me! That's pretty impressive! Here, I got different kinds because I don't know what you prefer." Atem complimented, sitting down in a secluded area that was surrounded by foliage from different plants. Bali sat next to him and looked around while munching on an oatcake.

"This is one of my escape spots. If you ever need to use it, you can." Atem permitted, and Bali rolled her eyes at the arrogant-sounding tone.

"Why thank you, good sir. You're ever so kind. Tell me; aren't you worried that I just might tell someone important about this little spot?" Bali asked, just to aggravate Atem a little. He turned to her with a mock-nervous look.

"You wouldn't dare do such hostile things! Such profound words in light of my kindness." Atem stated dramatically, and both Bali and he laughed. Bali finally decided that Atem was bearable. In fact, maybe he could be a friend alongside Mery, Su, and Akhnemkhanen. It was during their lunchtime in the area that Bali decided to ask Atem questions.

"I heard you were staying in the palace to train as a magician. Is it fun at all?" Bali inquired, and Atem took a sour look.

"Fun? I don't think Master Miknodhma has ever heard of the word." Atem muttered, frowning and shuddering a little.

"I'll take that as a no. But, do you have any friends here? I'd like to meet them if you do. You seem likable enough." Bali admitted, and Atem gave her a half smile.

"Thanks. Yes, I have friends, and sometime they might have time to meet with you. But not today, they're busy." Atem stated absent-mindedly, making Bali wonder if he was telling the truth. She didn't pursue the matter however, for Atem wanted to keep moving.

The rest of the palace was wonderfully explained by Atem, who for whatever reason avoided contact with too many people. Bali figured it was because of his talents of getting into trouble. Atem showed her several hiding places that were suitable to wait in for long periods of time. He showed her the headquarters for servants and the separate wing for maids. Bali and Atem had a relatively easy time at it all.

"Memnet! Lady Bali is here to see you!" Atem called as they entered the common space for the maids' wing. Bali looked around in wonderment. It wasn't nearly as nice as the living spaces for everyone of higher rank, but the fact that it was here was pretty inspiring. There was no commuting between the palace and the city everyday. The maids lived here and were on-call 24/7, a rigorous lifestyle.

"Ah, it is nice to meet you. Yesterday, Atem came tearing in here looking for information about you. I'm glad he found you, otherwise he'd be grumbling to me about his misfortunes." the old maid greeted, bowing her head while fixing up a strand of beads.

"Is she always so…" Bali whispered, and Atem nodded.

"Blatant? Yep, I'm afraid so. She's the head maid. I go to her when I have problems." Atem replied, and Memnet snorted.

"Then you have problems every day, you naughty thing. Lady Bali, it was nice seeing you and I presume Mery and Su have served you well so far?" Memnet asked, and Bali nodded.

"They're excellent. Have they always acted like sisters? Because that's what comes across to me." Bali inquired, and Memnet laughed, making Atem's eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. Bali glanced at him and guessed that Memnet didn't laugh very often.

"Sometimes I wonder that myself. You're very perceptive, child." Memnet answered, breathing out the last of her laughter. Bali crossed her arms.

"I should hope so. Atem tried to make me believe he was a servant." Bali commented and Memnet shook her head with disgrace.

"'Tis saddening to know such nobility acts so rudely, especially towards guests of Pharaoh." She replied, making Atem tap his foot and look away.

"Lady Bali, a message was sent for you! We heard from someone that you were down here with Atem!" Su called, rounding the corner with Mery right behind. They stopped before Bali and bowed to her and Atem.

"Pharaoh finally found time to settle the fiasco that happened last night." Mery added on, both breathing heavily from running around.

"Oh, alright. I'll go. Atem, thank you and I might see you afterwards, I guess. Memnet, it was a pleasure. Wish me luck." Bali nervously stated, and walked off, leaving everyone to stare after her. Memnet chuckled, and the two maids plus Atem looked back to her.

"Luck is all I could wish, child." She mumbled, and silence was set after that. Atem sighed. Now he was bored, and he had some concern about what would happen to Bali. Priest Seth could be nasty if he wanted to be.

"I wish you luck to, Bali." He thought for his newest friend, and stalked off to his room.

"Akhnemkhanen, I'm here." Bali greeted, masking her mounting worries. Her outburst could have gotten her into serious trouble, and she didn't want to know about the consequences.

"Bali, please come sit down." Pharaoh replied, as they were in a small meeting room. Pharaoh, his brother and (much to Bali's distaste) Priest Seth sat waiting. Bali sat down on her reserved cushion and looked to her hands.

"Priest Seth, have you anything to say to Lady Bali?" Akhenaden started, and Bali snapped her head up to see Seth's scowl.

"I am sorry for any insolence I had shown this last night. May the gods punish me if they are displeased." He apologized through gritted teeth, and Bali couldn't help but feel delight at his obvious trouble in saying it.

"May the gods have mercy, for I have forgiven such insolence." Bali replied, putting on her most royal pain-in-the-ass act and regal voice. Akhnemkhanen cocked his head in wonder.

"You forgive so easily. Is there a special reason for this?" He asked, and Bali looked to see Seth surprised by her answer as well.

"Some nobleman made me feel better, and if Seth hadn't been such a (tactless idiot) bother, I wouldn't have met him. That is all." Bali explained, restraining herself. Ra laughed at the thoughts running through her head about Seth, but he quieted when Bali lashed out at him in her mind.

"Oh. Then this lifts many troubles on my mind! However Bali, I believe Priest Seth still owes you for such grievances. Akhenaden and I have concluded that he shall teach you our ways of combat for when you are angered next. We hope that you should try something less inconveniencing than a broken foot. The lessons shall begin tomorrow." Akhnemkhanen proposed, and both Seth and Bali stood to protest.

"I don't think that's necessary!" Bali yelled.

"Teach a woman to fight? That is absurd!" Seth yelled at the same time, and Bali turned to him in an instant.

"How is there a problem in me fighting as a woman? You're the one who was belittled by a small blow to the foot!" Bali shouted, and the brothers still sitting sighed.

"Then we shall see who can best who!" Seth challenged, walking off in a hurried pace.

"Bright and early tomorrow, you pansy!" Bali replied, making Seth storm off faster. Bali looked down to the two calm men.

"Sorry to say but this time your priest is going to be worse off than a broken foot." Bali seethed, and fumed as she went off to her room. Once she was gone, the two men looked at each other and shook their heads.

And began to laugh.

"You will have to tell me the outcome, my brother." Akhnemkhanen gasped, and Akhenaden approved with delight.

"Such an interesting generation we have coming up."

Bali finally got back to her room, and didn't feel like talking to anyone, even Mery and Su. Not that the maids wanted to try, of course. Bali's wrath was escalating with every word she uttered. They left a couple of scrolls behind and retreated to their chambers, leaving Bali to ramble.

"That arrogant bastard! 'Teach a woman to fight,' please! What a prick!" Bali growled, popping her knuckles. She couldn't wait to show her everything she had learned from fighting off thugs throughout the years. Maybe then he would finally be humbled. It took half an hour of thoughts like these to finally slow down, and Bali got bored as she sat back on a lounge chair that sat in the sun.

"I wonder what the scrolls are for." Bali mumbled, staring at them from her spot and deliberating whether she should be lazy or get up. Ultimately, she decided to get up and have a look-see. She picked up one of the scrolls, and discovered that it was addressed to her. Opening it with some difficulty ("How do you open the blasted thing?"), she read the untidy scrawl that was Atem's message.

"Bali, I went into the city because you were taking too long. I'll see you tomorrow! I had Mery and Su deliver these books to you for your entertainment. Enjoy! -Atem." Was what she made out, and smirked. Setting the scroll aside, she picked up another carefully, studying it for any tricks or traps. After discerning that the scroll was unrigged reading material, she began to tackle it. After all, reading was a little harder than speaking.

After reading that scroll through, she was thoroughly happy with the story she had just read. Mery and Su had peeked in on her every once in awhile to make sure she didn't need anything, but left her alone to enjoy herself. The story she had read was about a trickster who stole from his lord's home to support the people of his village.

"So Robin Hood was in Egypt too, huh?" Bali asked herself, and Ra decided to pipe in.

"Oh yes, of course! Not all Egyptian lords are nice, you know." He stated matter-of-factly.

"Obviously, or this story wouldn't have been written. You seem a little dumber than I first believed." Bali replied.

"Hey, be nice! I _could _have just dropped you on the doorstep of one of those nasty people, you know." Ra argued, and Bali relented reluctantly. She had to admit, she was glad there were many nice people at the palace. Ra left her in peace while she started investigating another scroll. This one happened to be rigged, and Bali laughed as she opened to ridiculously drawn faces that Atem had drawn of himself, as well as Bali and even a couple making fun of Seth and his broken foot. She had to close it quickly however, for he had used a very putrid ink to make a good prank out of it. Bali marveled at it. She couldn't believe how light-hearted Atem was, considering he was a noble. Usually nobles were snobs and looked down on newcomers and poor people. But Atem behaved like a child. Not a completely spoiled one, for he was responsible in his own way. Bali shook her head.

"This new friend of mine is so bonkers." Bali giggled in English, and went on to the next scroll. This scroll was normal, and the story Bali began was a long one. It began with a description of the fearless and sly Isis. The story was detailed and poetic. It was so much that Bali was crying by the end. Isis may have been bitter when they had fought, but her story was so saddening. However, Ra consoled her by telling jokes about his screw-ups that led him to telling Isis his name. It made Bali hiccup in laughter because the way Ra began to describe it was humorous. Bali almost forgot that Ra was in her head, as Mery and Su stood staring at her around a corner.

"Is she talking to herself? And I can't tell if she's sad or happy!" Su whispered, worried for Bali's health. Mery shrugged.

"Sometimes one must go a little crazy to be sane once more." Mery answered philosophically. Su gave her a weird look, and Mery shrugged once more. They eventually went out to clean up Bali's face and touch up her kohl. When that was done, Bali was still giggling.

"May I ask what is so funny?" Mery inquired, and Bali stopped a that moment, looking sheepish.

"Just a really bad joke I thought up. No need to share. Thank you ladies, and if at all possible, I'd like to eat dinner in here so I may continue reading." Bali requested, and the two maids bowed and went off to fetch her supper. Bali couldn't believe the turn-around of her day. She had (for the most part) forgotten her rage against Seth, and Ra had left her pleasantly to fight his usual battle.

"Let's see what this next one has." Bali said aloud, picking up yet another of the scrolls and opening carefully. Inside were a bunch of limericks about the gods and other beings. Bali was fascinated with the praising terms she found. What made her smile however was that at the end, Atem had added his own about Bali.

"O Goddess not touched by the desert sun,

From the heavens thou didst run,

The gods laugh when the priests meet

This Goddess of might who stomps on their feet."

Bali had not laughed as much as she had at that moment in a long time.

"Atem has a way with words, that he does." Bali gasped, rolling up the scroll. She calmed down and set it aside and picked up the last scripture, which was a book this time. It was thick and heavy, and Bali wondered what it could possibly be. When she flipped it open, she found it to be a spell caster's book. Bali read with delight, for she was extremely curious about these palace magicians. She kept on reading, but eventually she got to a note.

"I hope you lightened up. Don't let Seth get to you. -Atem" Was what it said, and behind, Atem had cut into the book a large space. Within it was the pretty flower Bali had encountered that morning before Atem had arrived. Bali could feel the magic buzz between her fingers, magic that preserved the flower and amazed Bali.

"It's nice to know they're not joking." Bali mumbled, and smelled the flower and enjoyed its scent. Mery and Su showed up with her dinner at that moment, and marveled at the beautiful flower Bali held. They immediately got a vase with water and situated the flower near Bali's bed, where she could see it.

"Thank you girls. For delivering those books and my supper." Bali thanked, and proceeded to eat the delicious smelling delicacies.

"I guess Atem is officially a friend, then." Bali thought, and internally smacked herself. She couldn't be making friends if she wanted to prove Ra wrong and go home! But Bali couldn't keep her eyes off of that flower, and her thoughts off of her goofy new friend.

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><p>Atem, after Bali had left to meet with his father, decided that Seth was probably going to make Bali a nasty personality (he had a way of doing that to people) and when he got to his room, pulled out his spell book. He didn't need it anyway, and quickly sent a servant to carefully pick the flower Bali was smelling that morning. When the servant arrived, Atem dismissed him and set about his work. It took an hour to get everything ready, and he sent for Mery and Su.<p>

"You called?" Mery yelled, her and Su bowing quickly. Atem pointed to his finished project.

"Take those to Bali's room, but only set them out once she gets back. As for me, I'm getting out of here. Too much time in the palace and I promised my adoring fans that I would make an appearance in town today." Atem planned aloud, while the maids listened with little interest. Atem usually had a habit of thinking aloud, and sometimes it was annoying.

The maids left, and so did Atem. He couldn't wait to tell his friends Sethi and Mutnodjmet about Bali. He also couldn't wait to hear about Bali's reaction, and what tomorrow would bring to him with his new friend.

"If she's anything like what I've caught of her personality, this plan should work." Atem thought, and rode his horse into town, seeking out his young friends.

"Mutnodjmet, Sethi! I have news about the guest staying in the palace!" Atem shouted into the homes of the two, and both immediately scrambled out.

"Ooh, what about her? I've heard she's prettier than a cloudless night's moon, and just as pale!" Mutnodjmet exclaimed, and Sethi agreed.

"She's really important out here already." He added and Atem nodded.

"She's very interesting. In fact, I happen to be acquainted with her." Atem started, and went on to tell the two children everything he had figured out about Bali. By the way the children reacted, they wanted to meet her, and Atem scooted away as they began to gang up on him. Other children had stopped in as well, and were excited to hear of the interesting goddess, friend to Atem.

"I'll see what I can do, but she's going to be busy for awhile getting situated. You'll have to promise that if I bring her some day, that you'll be respectful. As I said, she can have a ferocious temper." Atem assuaged, and that thankfully settled the children down. Atem swore them to secrecy and went off on another tangent when he pulled an apple from behind Sethi's ear. The children were amazed by his slight-of-hand and Atem smiled smugly. He had effectively changed the subject, and continued to ignore the Bali issue with the children until he was alone again in his room at the palace. It was nighttime, and the air was crisp. By the time he had finished eating, it was late and he was tired. His eyes widened at the piece of papyrus tacked to his door. He ripped it into his hands and read.

"I met a noble in the garden,

Who addressed me without a pardon,

But help me so cleverly he did,

My smile had barely stayed hid."

Atem smiled tiredly, and knew that his plan was a success. He planned to have more fun with his new-found, very unusual friend.

"Lady Bali, huh?" Atem asked himself as he changed from tunic to kilt (not Scottish, mind you. Just the simple white linen you see in the show during the whole walk through memory lane) and went off to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day, if all worked out.

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><p><strong>Aw, how sweet of Atem! A fight with Seth? What shall become of that? I have an idea... Review please and I hope you'll stick around!<strong>


	6. Exhaustion

**Hooray for fighting! I love how much of a positive role model Bali is. Really, she's quite astounding, I wish I could be like her sometimes!**

**To my reviewers, I am sorry I haven't replied, for the system is screwed up right now. **

**TsubasaWitch- Thank you for the support. Seth is a jerk, and he needs to get shown up a little. Even if it is painful.**

**Kori Neko Tenshi- Your luck is working! I'm glad you think the story is cool, because I'm trying to make this as authentically Egyptian as possible. I seriously searched the web for their clothing styles.**

**Ardikani4- Wow, double whammie! I'd pay to see two dysfunctional teenagers fight each other too. Funnily enough, that's why I wrote it. I figured Atem needed to be different from 'Yami' because 'Yami' has ruled already and gained a few years (a couple thousand) to mature in a puzzle. I wanted him to be unfiltered and totally unique, because he doesn't know what fate has in store for him yet! Glad you're so enthused by this story and I hope you'll remain enthused!**

**To everyone of you who have reviewed and/or 'favorited' this story, I thank you. Now enjoy the next chapter for me! **

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><p>Morning. Again. Bali didn't know what exactly to do this particular morning. Seth had challenged her to a fight. And she had accepted. Now, while she was being dressed for said fight, she began to reflect, and wonder; WHAT THE HELL WAS SHE DOING?<p>

"The guy's maybe 8 feet tall and he's Egyptian! EGYPTIAN! THEIR MARTIAL ARTS ARE INSANE!" were along the lines of the panicky thoughts that were running through her head. She gulped down the agonizing groan she wanted to let loose and calmed herself.

"C'mon, you fought Isis! Albeit you lost, but you never gave up hope!" Ra tried to comfort, but Bali brushed him off. It only made her feel worse.

"Damn temper of mine! Ah well, I'll show no mercy. Just go for the kidneys. GO FOR THE KIDNEYS." Bali started her mantra to calm herself, and had to be shaken from her rapture when Mery and Su were done.

"Lady Bali, Priest Seth is at the door. He's ready to begin the lesson." Su relayed after checking on the visitor. Bali stretched her face and gave herself a short breathing session.

"Um…" Su said from behind her when Bali stepped forward. Bali turned to face her. Su beckoned for her ear, and Bali obliged.

"Uh… Well, to put it shortly, kick his ass, Lady Bali." Su whispered, making sure nobody else had heard, especially the Priest of Egos outside the door. Bali swelled with confidence at that. She strode over, putting on her regal airs and lifting her chin for effect. She opened the door. There Seth stood, glaring down at her like he was about to bully her for her lunch money.

"You ready?" He asked shortly, after bowing stiffly. Bali had nodded her head and Seth led her through the palace. Bali was still thinking of all of the ways to cause him pain (besides the obvious spot) and reviewed past experiences with any fights with someone relatively close to Seth's height and build. Unfortunately, back in her time those men were few and far between, and much less were actually belligerent towards her.

They eventually went outside, and Ra wished her luck as they stepped onto a platform. The sun god apparently had business to attend to, which made no sense to Bali, seeing as he didn't seem to do anything during the day the past couple of days.

"Lady Bali, Seth, what are the terms of your match today? Remember that we are just trying to see where your skills and where your weaknesses are, Lady Bali." Akhenaden stated, but they all knew that this wasn't the case. This, my friends, was payback time!

"No magic, no weapons. Just our minds and our fists." Bali requested, her eyes locking into a stare down with Seth. He nodded curtly and both ignored as Akhenaden sighed.

"I will decide when enough is enough. Now, you may begin the battle!" He refereed, but neither of the combatants moved. They were waiting for the other to make a move. Bali grinned in her thoughts.

"I'll make him move first!" She came upon a stroke of brilliance. Bali twitched her foot in an extremely noticeable way, and Seth took the bait. He charged, fist ready for connection. Bali dove under and punched the open area he left, his kidneys. Seth made a coughing sound as she dodged away after her blow, starting to get overconfident.

"He left himself open so easily! Maybe this won't be so tough." She thought optimistically, as Seth charged again, making the same move. Bali rolled her eyes and made to intercept, but Seth quickly slid down and trip kicked her, gaining the advantage as Bali took the fall. She rolled to break it, but Seth was fast. He had gotten back up and grabbed the collar of the tunic she was wearing, holding her out and ready to punch her face in. Akhenaden nearly called the match, until Bali did a mid-air abdominal crunch and kicked Seth in the forehead. He stumbled back and let Bali go.

"C'mon, aren't you going to do something?" Bali asked, but promptly got a blow to the stomach she was not expecting. _Now _she could tell Seth was angry. She fought to regain her breath while dodging the barrage of attacks sent her way. Bali then decided that she would keep dodging until he made a mistake. Which, not long after she thought the plan up, he did.

"Ha!" Bali yelled, jumping onto Seth's back and putting him into a chokehold. She kneed his back, while he grasped at her arms, trying to get her to let go. Seth then got a brilliant idea. He began to fall backwards, and Bali loosened in surprise.

"You fell for it!" He gasped, catching himself at the last second and throwing her off. She landed some ways away, taking a couple of seconds to get up. They were both breathing heavily at this point. But both Egyptians were amazed to see the types of martial arts Bali used. They had never seen anything like it.

"Oh, yeah? Well you'll fall for this!" Bali yelled, loosening her shoe and kicking her foot forward. The shoe flew off and before Seth knew what she was doing, it hit him square in the nose. Bali grinned. She made to do it again, and Seth anticipated it. He dodged the second shoe, but was immediately punched in the stomach again, and then punched in the back. And Bali, who was putting every ounce of strength left into her blows, put in a good kick to his shin for good measure. Although she had done damage to Seth, he backhanded her when she thought he was done. She grasped her cheek and struggled to get up. Both of them glared at each other once more, too tired to continue. But they wanted to, Akhenaden noticed.

"Alright, that's enough! It is clear that you both need work in martial arts, even if Bali's is of a foreign nature to us. I congratulate you both on your endurance, however." Akhenaden stepped in, standing between the two.

"Don't stop us now, Master Akhenaden! I was just about to finish the fight!" Seth complained, still leering at Bali. Bali leered back.

"Yeah, if you mean you're about to fall over!" She yelled in return, gasping afterwards as the blow to her face began to hurt again.

"Now, now, let's settle down. Both of you should go see Master Miknodhma to be healed. He will not be pleased to see you asking for assistance again Seth, but you must be fixed up to carry out your duties. Go on, scoot!" Akhenaden ordered, and both of the fighters glared as they limped away from each other. Bali went back to her room because she didn't want to be in the same room as Seth, even if it was to get healed.

"Lady Bali, you look terri-" Su started once Bali rounded the corner into the hallway with her room. Bali had silenced her with a frustrated glare. The falls she had taken had given her a lot of damage. Especially from when Seth threw her to the ground. She was stripped from her tunic and a warm bath was called up so she could ease the growing bruises. Mery and Su hurried about preparing salves and such for when she was done.

"Oh my god…" Bali breathed in pain as she lowered herself carefully into the water, her side giving off massive waves of pain. Mery and Su gasped when they returned from their errands. Bali's side was a massive black, purple and yellow-brown bruise. Her face was starting to swell up and that included her eye. Her shin also had a bruise, from where Seth had tripped her. Bali took the time to take damage control, feeling better with the heat soothing her injuries. She was pretty sure at least one rib was broken. She had heard the sound, anyway. Her maids scrubbed her down carefully, and treated her like a precious masterpiece made of glass. This happened to be one instance when Bali didn't mind being babied. Not that she could protest much anyways.

"You people are too good to me." Bali groaned as she was clothed in her usual sash and skirt attire and taken to one of her lounge chairs. Mery hurried out to get a palace magician to heal the very tired Bali.

* * *

><p>Atem started out his morning with a couple of pranks (broken sandal straps for the priests today!) and went on to find out what Bali was doing. He was thinking that if Seth was giving her too much of a problem, they could pull a giant prank together. He had a few in mind, and figured he should consult Bali right away.<p>

"Mery! Is Bali here?" Atem called, and the maid walked up to him through the door to Bali's room.

"She's been gone for awhile. Hadn't you heard that she challenged Lord Seth to a battle? I'm assuming she's still engaged at this point." Mery explained, and Atem's eyes widened in shock.

"Whoever thought a woman would challenge someone like Seth! She really _is _odd!"Atem thought aloud, and Mery's eyebrow rose.

"I wouldn't say something like that to her; she'll challenge you to a fight as well." She warned, and turned on the prince, shutting the door. Atem crossed his arms, feeling like he was just rejected. Atem then got a brilliant idea.

"Why not go see how Priest Seth is faring against Bali." Atem murmured, and walked briskly to find some information as to where the battle was being held. Atem eventually found out the location, and hurried there so as to not miss it. But when he got there, he found he was the only one. Atem stamped his foot in frustration.

"I took too long getting here! Maybe she'll be back up at her room by now." Atem cursed, and went off at a jog. Atem was annoyed that he had done all of this pointless running; he was itching to cause some mayhem, but he wanted to know what happened because curiosity was a bitch.

"Mery, I'm back! Is she here?" Atem called through the door, his anger coming out a little. Su opened the door, an angry expression on her face and her finger to her lips.

"She's asleep! Try and be quiet, the fight seemed to exhaust her! Hey wait, you can do healing magic right? Everyone else is busy right now." Su exclaimed, doing a typical bipolar maneuver in her sentence. Atem nodded slowly, not wanting know why his magic was needed. Su led him in, and when Atem saw Bali, he realized why he was asked immediately.

Bali's right side was a purplish-black hue, her face was puffed up, and all in all she looked nothing like the beautiful goddess he had just described to his child friends the day before. Atem walked over and began to activate the certain spells that would help.

Bali woke up to a cooling sensation on her side. And it was extremely refreshing, as if there was no bruise or broken rib at all. She was laying on her stomach, which had no pain anymore. Bali slowly turned her head to thank her miracle worker, only to find a very concentrated Atem.

"What're you doing here?" Bali rasped, her voice coming out dry. Atem cracked a small smile as sweat dripped down his cheek.

"That's not important. What did you do to yourself?" Atem inquired, strain evident in his voice. Bali noticed and it clicked in her head that he was healing her with magic.

"Well, you might want to ask Seth about that." Bali replied, while Atem finished up and Bali lay there with a satisfied smile. No pain, no nothing, just a good fresh feeling. Never had she felt so good after a fight.

"He didn't ambush you, did he? I thought you were having a fair fight!" Atem yelled, but Bali cringed.

"Don't get so worked up. We had our fight, and it just so happened that we did quite a bit of damage to each other. Though I totally did way more than he did. Stupid prick." Bali countered, frowning at the fact that their match came to a draw. Respect is never won with draws or losses; only with wins.

"Ah, not so true, kitten. Isis and I respect you for losing in that final trial." Ra piped up. Bali rolled her eyes.

"If you respected me you'd stay out of my head and call me by my real name." She responded, making Ra snort and be quiet.

"That's good to hear. But you're probably still too tired to go out into the city today. Healings may make you feel better, but they take some of your energy too." Atem explained, going to stand up from kneeling beside Bali's bed, but falling to the floor in exhaustion. Bali's eyebrow raised tiredly.

"Looks like it takes your energy too. Better get to sleep…" She yawned, but Atem was already passed out. Bali was asleep not long after, and Mery and Su looked at each other with broad grins.

"The Crown Prince and a goddess, both out like candles in the wind!" Su laughed quietly.

"We'd better get his highness to his room. I don't think Lady Bali will appreciate it if we left him on the floor." Mery said, hurrying off to fetch Atem's own servants for some extra help. Su watched the two in their undignified positions of sleep. Bali was snoring, her face down in her pillow, while Atem was silent, his breathing soft as his arms were spread from him and his face turned to the side. Drool had already drizzled its way out, and it was hard for Su to not start laughing uproariously at the sight.

* * *

><p>"I feel like I never even fought today." Bali chirped, her strength and energy back. Mery and Su scrubbed at their eyes tiredly, nodding slowly. Bali tipped her head to the side.<p>

"C'mon guys, if you didn't want to be awake all night, you shouldn't have let me screw up my sleeping schedule!" She pointed out mock-sweetly, making the two maids sigh.

"We already said we were sorry, Lady Bali. We really are." Su moaned through a giant yawn, covering her mouth to be polite.

"Lady Bali is just trying to get us to know that she has a regular sleeping schedule that… something or other… I don't remember what I was going to say…" Mery stuttered, and Bali found great amusement in watching their heads tilt back and forth, sleep edging their eyes. It was a little after midnight, and Bali was awake, and she wanted entertainment. Su had accidentally let it slip about the hilarious sight she had made, which made Bali take revenge in her strange and cruel way. Bali shook her head and waved her hand.

"Go to sleep, it's fine. I'll find something to do." She dismissed, and the maids were out so fast their was fire left behind on their trail.

"Hmm… I wonder if Atem is awake yet? Well, don't wanna risk it. I don't even know where he sleeps anyway." Bali mumbled to herself, and plopped down on a cushion to think briefly about anything that crossed her mind.

Atem, in fact, wasn't awake yet, but was having a dream. Atem didn't know if he liked this dream, but it was weird.

"Who are you?" Atem asked out of the blue, almost as if someone made him say it. There was no one there at all, just a dull void before him. Before long however, a figure appeared. A tall, noble and strong-looking man looked down on him, a silver gleam surrounding his entity.

"I am Osiris, my son!" He replied, and was gone. Atem stood alone in the void once more.

"Atem, Atem!" A voice called, a very familiar woman's voice. Her voice was full of pride and joy as she said his name, but he didn't know who it was. These calls echoed and surrounded him. It grew louder and Atem put his hands to his ears as the sound got too intense. It was louder and louder, and just when Atem was about to call out in pain, it went deathly silent.

"Atem, my little king!" the woman's voice praised, and Atem woke up with a yell. When his wits were about him, he was breathing hard and upright in his bed. Sweat was dripping down his face and Atem rubbed his eyes from the shock he was going through.

"What kind of dream was that?" He murmured, but his two servants came barging in with concern.

"I'm fine, but get a bath ready." He ordered them, and they abruptly left to do his bidding. Atem put a hand to his head as he stood.

"Master, your bath is ready!" his servant called, and Atem nodded and calmed himself down.

"It was just a dream, nothing more."

* * *

><p>Bali had dozed off a couple of times purposely so she could get a semblance of her sleeping schedule back. It worked for the most part, as now Bali, Mery and Su were all on the same page and happy morning people. Well, Bali wasn't exactly happy, but she wasn't sad or angry either. She just <em>was<em>.

"Lady Bali, a message came from Akhenaden saying that Lord Seth is not available this morning for lessons because he is still recovering. Oh, and Lady Seshat and Lord Shimon have a request for your presence at the stables. I think their message entailed something about getting you acquainted with a horse." Mery delivered the daily news to Bali and she celebrated a little. Seth was still out while she felt like gold! Score two for the Balinator!

"Do they need me now? I'd like to see if Atem is okay. After all, he kinda fainted because he was helping me. Moron should've known that was gonna happen." Bali snorted, Su agreeing with her.

"He likes to _say_ he's all that, but he tries to stand after such an intense healing like that? Of course he'd be exhausted! Even Master Miknodhma would be weak after such a thorough healing!" She exclaimed, and Bali nodded slowly, logging the information into the back of her mind.

"So, Atem's _really_ skilled, not just some lazy-ass, rebellious weirdo. Good to know." She thought, and bid her maids goodbye as she headed out to the stables. She was proud of herself for remembering the route, and had a little hop in her step to show for it. She was nervous however.

"I remember Seshat, but which one was Shimon? Guess I'll just have to play it cool and fly by the seat of my non-existing pants." Bali planned, a guard opening the door for her, giving her a pleasant smile. Bali just nodded and flounced in, to meet with four pairs of eyes, all looking at her with different emotions.

"Hello again, Lady Bali. This is my daughter Isis, who I am proud to say will be taking over my duties as keeper of the Millennium Necklace." The (now that Bali really focused on it) aging woman introduced, and the younger, spitting image of Seshat stepped forward and bowed.

"I am honored to meet you. My mother has praised you a great deal." Isis greeted, and Bali felt the tips of her mouth raise.

"Nice to meet you as well. And that leaves Shimon, keeper of the Key?" Bali asked nodding her head towards a young man standing tall beside the short old priest. Shimon laughed and nodded, his apprentice bowing with respect.

"Well, I _was _the keeper of the Millennium Key, but now it's Shada's! I was starting to get too old for the job, so I decided that it was about time." Shimon explained, pointing out that the key was hanging around the young man's neck.

"Oh, excuse my rudeness then. Hello Shada, it's a pleasure. Now, I believe we're not here entirely for social hour?" Bali inquired, hoping to get some of the day cleared so she could check on her friend.

"Ah, straight to the point. We figured that everyone needs an escape every once in awhile. Your outburst the other night is proof, and so we're going to find you a horse. You'll be able to ride away your worries whenever you wish." Shada explained with a smile finally coming to his face at Bali's attitude. Bali crossed her arms and put her weight to one foot.

"Awesome. So, how do we decide which one's for me?" Bali responded, and Seshat opened a gate.

"Whichever one you want." Seshat stated simply, and Bali strode in, looking about at the different steeds that awaited her. Stallions rustled their manes to show off, and mares whinnied for attention. It was a gelding, however, that caught Bali's eye.

He was just sitting there, staring with little interest. But when Bali met his eyes, they flickered with a challenge.

"I dare you to choose me." they said, and Bali walked over with a smirk.

"That is Bit, a smart but terribly stubborn old horse. Are you sure you want to deal with such a difficult creature?" Shimon asked, all of the rest staring in wonderment as Bali answered his question. And the way she had answered truly was remarkable. Bit had stepped forward to her hand, smelled it, and licked it. He then chose to stand back as if the deal was sealed, and he was admiring his work.

"He seems to want to deal with me. And if he can do that, then Bit is a miracle of a horse." Bali confirmed with a satisfied smile. Bali declined an offer to ride, because she was still concerned about Atem. Bali winked at Bit before she turned to leave.

"I can tell we're going to have fun adventures together, Bit." Bali messaged with her mind, while Ra decided to pop up and poke some fun at her for trying to send a telepathic message to a horse.

"Okay Atem, you'd better be alive and awake, because I have an idea…" Bali muttered under her breath, smiling to herself while glancing at the camels.

"A good idea indeed…"

* * *

><p><strong>Atem's having weird dreams and Bali's getting ideas. What is the world coming to? Well, review any thoughts, questions, *cough* praise *cough*, and ideas. I enjoy getting them.<strong>


	7. Bicker, Bicker, Bicker

**I am so sorry this has taken so long! But this one's a little bit of a doozy, so I hope you like it! Thanks to all who have reviewed or kept up with this story! **

**I don't own YGO! or any of its characters. **

**Enjoy, dear readers who have waited waaaaaay too long for this!**

* * *

><p>It all started with two different plans. These plans were born from two different minds, but both persons were determined to see them through. Bali was trying to find Atem, and Atem was trying to find Bali. They finally met up at one point, and were friendly towards one another at first, but…<p>

It was only a matter of time before these two stubborn forces of nature clashed.

"We can probably go back to the city _after_ we're done! C'mon, if we go now, it won't be too late!" Bali pushed, stomping her foot. For some reason, Atem was being particularly stubborn and grumpy. It was aggravating!

"There won't be much time at all! Besides, the people I want you to meet will be getting ready to eat supper and go to sleep by the time we're finished!" Atem argued, crossing his arms in finality. He figured that that was reasoning enough for them to go into town. Even if having a camel race sounded like loads of fun. He was having a bad time already because of the weird dream that he had. Bali's persistence wasn't helping.

"The way I see it, _you're _too grumpy to talk to today anyway! Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something? Because you're being really assholish right now!" Bali fired hotly, poking Atem's chest for emphasis. Atem grabbed her hand and glared down to be intimidating.

"_I'm _too grumpy? You run up to me and start fussing over me like I'm some child and then boss me around like some slave!" He replied, expecting something of a tearful look or some sort of fear. But by now, he should know that Bali isn't the fearful type of person. No, she's the angry type of person, for she was about ready to kick Atem's rear end into the far wall.

"First of all, I was checking on you to make sure you were okay after helping me out! Secondly, I recall some details about your plan being shoved on me before I even got to bring my idea up! Third, you're being a jackass and not listening while I'm trying to peacefully compromise!" Bali raged, stomping her feet and wrenching her hand back.

"That's because we don't have enough time!"

"We did before you started arguing with me! Camel races don't take that long if you decide where you're going and how far it is! But no, you're too flippin' bullheaded to listen to what I have to say, dammit!"

"Well, the day is wasted anyway, so why don't we just do what we want for ourselves."

"Oh, so now you're going to bow out like a coward, huh? Figures, because you know I'm right!" Bali snapped, but she was taken aback by the sudden look of true ferocity in Atem's eyes.

"I am **not** a coward." He muttered in a low growl. He advanced to Bali and looked her straight in the eye. Bali didn't flinch, just stared back with all of her nerve and might.

"I'm assuming that Priest Seth only fought you in hand to hand combat. Why don't we see how you do with a sword." Atem growled dangerously, sticking the hilt of his own into Bali's stomach. Bali was about to reply boldly when someone came calling.

"Atem! Where did you go? You said I would meet Bali today- oh! Hey, Atem what're you doing?" She squeaked, and ran up the hallway they were in. Both Bali and Atem backed away from each other, Atem with a slight pout and Bali with a curious gaze. The girl looked around their age, but she didn't really act it. But instead of running up to Atem, she turned to Bali.

"Are you alright? He didn't do anything stupid did he? Sometimes he does stuff like this and I just can't control him! I'm Mana, who are you?" She spoke, speedy and bright with a huge grin.

"Ah, I'm Bali..." Bali was slightly taken aback by the overwhelming cheerfulness of this person. Mana blinked a couple of times, trying to recognize the name. Bali saw the light bulb pop on in an instant.

"Whoa! It's so nice to meet you, Lady Bali! You really are very pretty!" Mana complimented, bowing quickly and giving an apologetic smile. Bali nodded her head with a small smile. Mana's bright personality was slightly infectious, though Bali knew that one day it would probably be annoying beyond all get out.

"Thank you. So what relation are you to sourpuss over there?" Bali asked, jabbing her thumb at the coolly staring form of Atem. He frowned deeply at the comment, but looked away with no comment.

"We've been best friends since we were kids! We're practically family, and we study magic here in the palace." She explained, going over and nudging Atem.

"Interesting. Are there any other people who are practicing magic under Master Miknodhma?" Bali asked, wanting to check out all of the magic lessons at some point.

"Well, there's the other palace magicians, but the only other one who really matters is Mahad. He's Master Miknodhma's son, and is going to to receive the Millennium Ring- Oh crap, that's today! Atem, we completely forgot, we need to go _now_! Lady Bali, you're welcome to come with us and meet Mahad! I think you'll like him a lot!" Mana announced, grabbing Atem's arm in a hurry and beginning to run off. Atem protested that he could run on his own as he was dragged away. Bali started running as well, keeping her hand on her sash.

"I wish I could just wear the tunic like Mana, but of course that's too drab for someone of my status. And some friend Atem is if he forgot about something so important! And he calls me a slave driver, when Mana is dragging him! Dummy has no sense at all." Bali fumed in her mind, but kept up easily with her two friends. Though one of them was in limbo at the moment.

"We're here! Oh I can't wait, Mahad is going to be our new teacher!" Mana breathed excitedly, pushing through a crowd of spectators at the ceremony. Bali grabbed her shoulder quickly and smiled reassuringly and stepped forward. People saw her as she tapped a few shoulders. Their eyes widened and they bowed back in respect. Bali nodded her head in thanks as she passed through to the front, beckoning Mana and Atem to follow her path. Bali didn't notice the stares of reverence that Atem got because she was too busy finding a good spot and taking pride in her own praise. Once they were to the front, palm fronds were immediately put over their heads as protections from the harsh sunlight. Bali sighed, because she felt very white in the crowd of desert people. Before she could turn and converse with Mana, the ceremony began. Three men walked up on the platform, and Bali recognized two of them. Pharaoh Akhnemkhanen, Master Miknodhma, and a younger version of Master Miknodhma who looked a a bit older than she, Mana and Atem. Master Miknodhma waved to the crowd, a light smile on his face as he spoke quietly with Akhnemkhanen, who looked happy himself. However, the young man, who Bali assumed was Mahad, looked slightly ill.

"Yay! Go Mahad!" Mana cheered, and I tilted my head as he did a small confident wave, despite the fact that he looked like he was about to puke from nervousness.

"My magicians, welcome to the day we've all been waiting for! Master Miknodhma will finally retire from his post, but leave us his legacy to cherish! Mahad, please step forward!" Pharaoh addressed, making the crowd go quiet. Mahad edged forward to bow to Akhnemkhanen and to face his father. The ceremony was somewhat short, but of course there were prayers and rituals sayings that had to be done before the Millennium Ring was placed around Master Mahad's neck. After the auspicious moment, everyone cheered for the new master of palace magicians. Bali noticed that even Atem had lightened up, and had started smiling for his friend and apparently new teacher. Mahad waved to the crowd, finally looking healthy again and his nervousness gone. People started to leave, but Mana waited, so Bali and Atem did as well.

"Hello everyone. Thank you for being here today." A soft tenor voice floated through the air, and they all turned to see the new master himself.

"Master Mahad, we're so happy for you. Look look, it's the goddess, Lady Bali!" Mana pointed out, making Mahad look ahead from his position and his eyes landed right on Bali. He smiled softly, much to Bali's amazement. Usually people frantically bowed their heads and apologized for not giving respect sooner, but Mahad was calm and collected. He bowed swiftly and strode over.

"Well, I'm sure you know who I am by now. It's been pretty busy around here and I'm sorry I haven't met you before now." He started, a light conversational tone edging his voice. Bali nodded with a small smile. Mahad was intelligent and good looking. But since she had had a huge fight and had gotten into some trouble already with another priest, she didn't fully appreciate the fact.

"It's an honor, and congratulations." Bali returned, and Atem snorted behind her. She turned with a slight glare.

"What's your problem, grumpy gills?" Bali asked mockingly, while Mana burst into a fit of giggles. Atem kept his sneaky smirk however and shrugged his shoulders.

"Since when were you so cordial? Don't tell me you're going to act like you once did around Priest Seth? Trying different approach this time?" Atem mocked straight back, and Mana was silenced and frowning. Mahad seemed to know about the situation already for he too had a frown.

"Since when do you care? I'm not trying to be whorish, I'm being friendly. But of course, you're too full of childish jealousy to know what that means." Bali snapped, and the battle began again. Mahad and Mana listened as they called each other very unpleasant names.

"Mana, why don't we let them work it out?" Mahad suggested, and Mana looked abruptly up at him.

"But they could start fighting each other and get hurt!" She exclaimed quietly, but Mahad shook his head with a knowing smile.

"Atem needs a kick in the butt every once in awhile. Nobody ever goes against him, but now he's found someone who does. It's an important kind of relationship and both of them can learn something from it." Mahad explained, as Mana was silent in awe. She had never known Mahad to be so wise before, but she guessed that his father had put him through a lot to be able to be a master magician.

Mahad and Mana left, talking about Mana's strengths and weaknesses in magic and how they would begin to fix them.

Atem and Bali had run out of credible insults five minutes after, and stood glaring at each other.

"Why are you so mean today?" Bali asked, wondering if the healing had something to do with it.

"Why are you always so mean?"

"Atem, I'm being serious now." Bali growled, walking over to a staircase and sitting down. Atem stood in his spot and thought about answering.

"I don't know..." He answered after awhile, and Bali deadpanned.

"You don't _know_? Did you have a bad dream or something? Because you can't just be angry all of a sudden. Especially when you're only angry at me." Bali stated, crossing her arms (mainly to pull up her sash that had started drooping).

"You're the one prodding at me." Atem complained, putting his hands on his hips and staring pointedly at her. Bali rolled her eyes.

"So freakin' defensive." She muttered under her breath in English, making Atem cock his head and look at her strangely.

"What did you just say?"

"I was taking a mental note about the way the sun hits your hair." Bali lied, letting heavy sarcasm weigh her voice. It was Atem's turn to roll his eyes as he walked over and sat down next to her.

"Really? I mean, I know I have superhuman looks but I didn't think you'd be the type to care." He replied, looking out at the sky as if pondering something. Bali smirked.

"Superhuman doesn't always mean good looking. I mean, if you're superhuman then I can name a couple of people around here who are gods." Bali pointed out.

"Like me!" Ra exclaimed, completely out of the blue so Bali jumped.

"Except people will think I'm crazy if I tell them about you, so be quiet!" She growled in her head.

"Are you okay? You're acting like something surprised you." Atem said, giving a concerned look. Bali waved her hand nonchalantly.

"Just a weird thought. So, do you still want to have that duel or are you not angry anymore?" Bali asked, nodding her head towards his weapon. He smiled, still looking out at the sky.

"I'm not angry. Unless you want to fight-"

"No."

"Alright then."

"..."

"..."

"Is it just me or are you hungry too?" Bali asked, making Atem laugh.

"That was completely out of nowhere! You are probably the strangest woman I have ever met!" Atem stated with delight, heaving himself up while Bali glared, slightly embarrassed.

"I'm hungry. Is that such a crime? Stupid, inconsiderate asshole." Bali muttered, following Atem to the kitchens.

"Are we stealing again?"

"Why not?" Atem answered, looking over his shoulder to wink at Bali, who crossed her arms and gave him a stern look.

"It's fun!" Atem continued, as if that was any justification. Bali shook her head and let it go. The cooks would let her get away with it, and she could probably get the mischievous young man before her out of trouble as well.

"I don't know why I'm friends with you." Bali spoke aloud, and Atem stopped and turned around with a confused look.

"We're friends?" He asked, making Bali's eyebrows furrow and her mouth open in slight surprise. Atem began to laugh and held his hands up defensively.

"I'm just kidding! You're my friend... Gah!" He started, but began to run away as Bali was threatening to smack him upside the head. They ran around, still keeping on track for the kitchens until they were too tired and hungry to run anymore.

"I'll get you when you least expect it. I promise you." Bali warned through puffs of air.

"I'll take that to heart. Anyways, lets get some food." Atem changed the subject, but Bali was glad he did. The delectable smells coming from the kitchen were making her stomach protest loudly.

"Right."

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><p>Bali's day went well after that, even though Atem had to leave her right after they ate. Bali asked what, but Atem wouldn't say. Finding that there was nothing else she wanted to do and that she was exhausted from fighting and running around with Atem, she went back to her room.<p>

Bali got cozy on her now favorite lounge chair and began reading the Isis story again. Mery and Su brought her snacks of candied fruit, which Bali enjoyed all the while.

Night fell, and Bali finished reading and scanning the Isis story for the third time. Bali was somehow entranced by the story, but wanted to read something different. She didn't know if the palace had any sort of library at all, and Mery and Su had already been sent off on break. Bali scanned her room for something else to do when she found the walls.

"Oh lordy, why didn't I think of that before?" Bali exclaimed in English. She hurried over to the beginning of one wall and started reading.

She was almost done with reading a story about Osiris when she came upon a hieroglyph she didn't recognize.

"Damn, I don't remember the name of this one... It's on the tip of my tongue..." Bali muttered, but someone crashed into her room in an excited flurry through her door.

And that someone was Atem.

"Bali, quick come with me! Please!" He pleaded, making Bali stare at him like he was severely out of place.

"Okay fine, but help me figure out this glyph. It's a bird... a-uh... stork!" Bali described, starting to imitate the image on the wall. Atem gave her confused and strange looks before he caught a peek of it.

"Ameniphus?"

"YES! Ha, you're a genius! Anyways, let's go wherever. It must be urgent if you came yourself." Bali said hurriedly, excited that she had finished the story.

"Right." Atem nodded and led the way. The torch lit corridors flew past as Bali recognized the area he was leading her. They were going to the same place that Bali and Atem had first met a couple of days ago.

They got there, but Bali didn't see anything that would raise any alarms.

"Over here!" Atem called, running over to a corner with plants surrounding it. Bali strode over patiently and looked past Atem's shoulder to find two cats. And one of them was in labor.

"My cat At is the father, so I have to help him take care of his kittens. I want a goddess to be here to bless them because that's what they deserve. You'll stay and help, right?" Atem requested, his excited manner almost irresistible, though Bali felt bad because she wasn't really a goddess.

"Do not worry, I shall help you bless them." A new voice said, and Bali wondered who it was for a moment before she realized who it was.

"Thank you, Isis." Bali whispered, knowing that Ra would throw a fit about not being able to help once he found out in the morning.

The kittens (7!) made it out okay as did their mother. Bali had successfully blessed them with Isis' guidance, and now Bali and Atem sat back and watched the newborns suckle their mother.

"Thank you, Bali." Atem said quietly, so as to not disturb At and his lady.

"You're welcome. Hey, look at that kitten!" Bali pointed out, just noticing one that was extremely different.

"Yeah, it's completely white. But At and Tiye (At's lady) are both black."

"It makes you wonder how stuff like that happens." Bali stated, sitting back once again.

"Maybe he's a gift to you, for blessing them. He's pale because you are too." Atem suggested, and Bali snorted.

"What will you name him once you can take care of him?" Atem inquired, knowing that Bali was going to want one.

Bali smiled knowingly, and turned to look at Atem with amusement.

"Ameniphus."

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><p><strong>Kittens! Nobody can resist them! :3 The next chapter will contain some more action, instead of day to day palace stuff! Hooray!<strong>

**Reviews are welcomed and give great inspiration. And the more inspiration I have, the quicker I'll probably write the chapter... Just sayin'...**


	8. Seriousness and Sadness

**This chapter is pretty serious, if I say so myself. So brace yourselves! Thanks for reading everyone, and I'm glad that you like the kittens. **

**I don't own YGO! or anything. I don't own ancient Egypt either, for reasons that are explicable in itself.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Bali sat on a cushion, dangling a string in front of her month old kitten Ameniphus. Nothing of real importance had happened after the kittens were born. Her lessons with Priest Seth had continued, and Bali was stronger now, though she would never thank Seth for that. Atem and Bali barely saw each other since she started training.<p>

"Kitten, do you still hate Egypt?" Ra asked out of the blue, as he often did in the mornings. Bali could never sense when he was around, but after a month it was something she was used to.

"It's trying, but I can never forgive it for what it has taken from me." Bali answered darkly, tired of the question Ra asked every once in awhile. Ra sighed sadly. Bali couldn't bring herself to say that she had forgiven everything that had happened. There was too much pain and sadness that couldn't be erased.

"But your mother-"

"Don't talk about her! You have no right!" Bali seethed, scaring Ameniphus into toddling away. Bali felt guilty and scooped the tiny animal into her hands and calmed him down with soft apologies.

"Lady Bali, did you need something?" Mery called, scooting into the room while Su sprung in with enthusiasm. Bali noticed and questioned the behavior.

"Why are you so happy Su?" Bali inquired, handing off Ameniphus to play with Mery. Su bounced up and down excitedly.

"Princess Sarin-an-Munad is coming home! Her visit with Lady Ibir-nu-Abn has ended and now she's coming back!" Su relayed, and Bali's head turned curiously. She hadn't heard much about the royal family while she was here, a surprising fact to be sure. Usually these families were huge, including several wives and even more children. Yet Akhnemkhanen seemed to have a tiny family.

"Is she one of your friends?" Bali ventured a guess, and Su nodded excitedly.

"We met and of course I was serving her but she always treated me nice and she has an awesome personality. She needed someone to talk to especially after Ibir-nu-Abn was married to the Nubian king as a peace token." Su replied, hopping from foot to foot.

"Oh. I had nearly forgotten about the Nubians. They're kind of important huh? What about the Syrians to the northeast? How are relations up there?" Bali asked, remembering that Egypt had neighbors. Very important neighbors.

"I actually don't think we're doing well with them at all. Pharaoh has tried many things to end the problem peacefully, but they aren't receiving them at all. In fact, the last emissaries to go to deliver a message disappeared, and we think that the Syrians killed them-"

"Su! It is not our place to say such things!" Mery snapped, making Su wilt and shrink away from her former happiness. Bali was concerned by the information she had just received. Egypt was heading for a war that nobody but the Syrians wanted, and she had been blind to it all. Of course, she had heard of the war before, but it had only been a rumor and there was no concrete proof that the war had actually gone through in the future. Bali knew that her presence had probably changed much of the story of Egypt already, but she was trying to leave it alone so it would not screw up the future too much.

"Little kitten, you had best go speak to Pharaoh and his court to find out what is happening. I think I shall check on this myself." Ra suggested, and Bali realized that the Princess was coming home because of this impending war.

But the only person Bali wanted to see was Atem. In her mind, Atem was probably so busy because he was a soldier of some sort, and was preparing for battle. If this was true, then Bali wanted to see him again, because it would most likely be the last time.

"Mery, Su, take care of Ameniphus and clean the room up. I'm going to meet with Pharaoh." Bali commanded, and the maids obliged without a word. Bali strode off, worried about what the war would bring for the country, and more importantly, her chances of getting back home.

"Stupid Syrians, acting like five year olds because they can't get everything that they want." Bali muttered under her breath as she sped along to the throne room. Bali made it there quickly, and the guards didn't hesitate to let her in. When she saw Akhnemkhanen, she realized another thing she had blissfully not noticed this past month.

The Pharaoh was aging, and he was growing weak. The many years of stress and troubles of being a man of power showed in his features. Akhnemkhanen looked tired and sorrowful instead of a man full of life.

"He's dying. Oh god, he's dying!" Bali thought mournfully, and by the looks of his court, they knew as well. Their Pharaoh was getting ready to pass into the afterlife.

"Bali, did you need something?" He called, his voice not as strong as when she had first met him. Bali went right up and stood among his court, gaining curious glances from Mahad and Isis (who had taken her mother's place a week ago).

"Are we really going to war with Syria?" She asked point blank, and the court drew breaths of surprise and began whispering to each other. Akhnemkhanen blinked a few times before sighing, causing a coughing fit that made Bali's heart nearly break in two. She remembered the last time someone had coughed like that, and how much she had cared for that person. And now, Egypt was going to take yet another. And if Egypt went to war, thousands more would be gone, ruining others' lives as well.

"I do not know. However, there is a great possibility that it will happen. I have great faith in the people to rise up to protect their homeland." He answered, the real truth shining in his eyes. Bali could read it clearly.

His eyes relayed a plain but coldly resounding 'yes.'

Bali cursed her fate at this moment and turned to the others of Pharaoh's court. Akhenaden looked the saddest of all, for it was his own brother leaving him.

Mahad walked up to Bali, as did Isis. Bali turned to receive them with a plain, bland look.

"Lady Bali, we are sure that your presence will help Egypt right itself again. Don't worry about anything that you don't have to get involved in." Isis said, trying to give comfort. Mahad stayed silent, but his presence meant that he was sided with Isis. Bali nodded grimly, failing at the smile she forced to her face. Bali stalked off, being graceful while she exited the throne room. She couldn't bear seeing Akhnemkhanen in that state.

"Mother…" She murmured, and ran off to the Nile sanctuary that she had grown fond of.

Crown Prince Atem had been busy lately, and consequently had hidden himself from Bali. He had been called to his father's room the night after the kittens were born. Atem had thought about ignoring the request, except the messenger had been Memnet and Memnet was shedding tears. Atem feared the worst and hurried to the room, and saw a sight he never thought he would see.

His father, who had always been strong, was laying weakly in bed, gasping in pain. Atem couldn't believe it at all. His days of being goofy were done. He couldn't rebel anymore. His father was preparing for the afterlife, and now _he _would have to be Pharaoh! It was too soon.

"Atem, my son… Come here to my side." Akhnemkhanen requested, and Atem slowly walked over in shock.

"I have let you do what you want for these past years because you are free spirited and can't learn in the traditional manner. But the time has come for you to mature and take up your responsibilities. The Millennium Puzzle must be worn around your neck and you must rule the people justly in my stead. I want you to come every morning to learn anything and everything you need to know to become the bearer of the Millennium Puzzle, with Akhenaden and myself being your teachers. Now leave me." Akhnemkhanen ordered, struggling to breathe through his sentences. Atem didn't say anything, but did nod dutifully. Atem walked quickly back up to his room, avoiding any other contact. Once he was on the inside of his room door, a tear strode down the prince's cheek.

Ever since that night, Atem has been making leaps and bounds in understanding everything about being Pharaoh, while becoming even more powerful with his magic. This magic included the use of the Dyat-Dyankh and Puzzle to summon creatures of darkness for battle. There were hidden chambers beneath the palace for this training, and Atem seemed to excel at it. Atem still longed to run around with his friends outside the palace, and converse with Bali to find out about Ameniphus.

It was this particular day after training that Atem nearly ran into Bali running out of the throne room. Atem still didn't want to reveal his true identity about being the next Pharaoh, because he was afraid that she would view him differently. He knew she would be angry, but now that his father was going to the afterlife, it was only a matter of time.

"Prince Atem, your father has something to discuss with you." A guard called, seeing Atem approach from his hiding spot.

"Yes I know." Atem replied, and the doors swung open and Atem strode boldly in. Akhnemkhanen smiled down at his son, who looked more like a man than a boy after his serious training.

"My son, you are as old as you are and have not yet taken a bride. You must create an heir to the throne yourself." His father stated, and Atem winced. He wished that this discussion had been more private, but knew also that his father's time was stretched thin as it was.

"I've noticed." Atem replied, making his father laugh weakly. Atem shook his head as a picture of Bali popped up into his head. There was no way that _she _could marry him. They were friends, not lovers. It was wrong to think of such things.

"And yet, I just did think about it. Damn, I must be under too much stress, and just need to talk to her, that's all." Atem thought, distressed that Bali kept showing herself in his mind. There was no doubt that Atem had noticed Bali in more ways than one. She was quirky, and so much more different than any woman he had ever met. But still, she was a good friend, as well as an outsider to the royal family.

Unknown to Atem, his father had noticed the expression change ever so slightly, and thought about the expression change. Akhnemkhanen knew that his son was good friends with the resident goddess Bali, but he didn't think that his son would ever get attached to anyone. Atem usually didn't like girls because he grew up with sisters and no brothers. Akhnemkhanen was saddened however, because he had one daughter who was unmarried for one purpose: to marry Atem. Incestuous marriages were the key to keeping the royal family pure, and since the gods smiled upon the tradition, it brought their favor to Egypt.

"I won't pressure you about anything just yet, but I want you to think about it. I am also going to task you with leading a small party to meet up with Sarin-an-Munad to keep her safe. You will be calling the shots, and once you return I will have another task for you." Pharaoh ordered, and Atem nodded. On the inside, he was slightly depressed. He didn't like his younger sister very much, but she was family. Atem also wanted to talk to Bali, at least once before he left on the recovery.

"Bali, there's a lot I have to ask you." Atem muttered to himself, thinking about the month before. Bali had acted strangely about the character Ameniphus. As a goddess, she would be able to read without fail at all. Yet, Ameniphus escaped her mind. Atem began to realize that the whole time he had known her, there was something off about her. Something wasn't quite right, but he didn't know what. Atem knew that Bali meant no harm at all to anyone in the Palace, but still... He was suspicious of her godly origins.

* * *

><p>Bali sat with her legs stretched into the cool waters of the Nile. Her blank stare and non existing movement made fish creep up around her toes in curiosity. On any other occasion, Bali would be interested, but this time, she was too troubled to notice.<p>

"I can't believe a war is about to begin. Egypt with all of its ridiculous power that everyone just has to have! I hate it! I don't want any of it! I just want to go home!" Bali said, frustrated at the matters at hand.

"Little kitten, I cannot believe you just said that. Don't you want to help Egypt?" Ra asked, having just returned from his investigation of Syria.

"No. I hate it, remember?"

"You don't hate it Bali, you're only saying that. You're still in denial. Not to mention that you're in da-Nile as well."

"Way to be serious, Ra."

"Pfft, it was too good to pass up. I mean, you are in DA-NILE!" Ra laughed, and Bali withdrew her feet quickly. There was slight silence and a moment of peace.

"Now your feet **were** in DA-NILE! Ha!" Ra burst out, laughing his head off at his stupid pun. Bali didn't appreciate the pun, but she did appreciate the fact that he changed the subject.

The hilarity was ended when Atem appeared at the entrance to the sanctuary.

"Bali, I need to talk to you about some things." He declared, and Bali could hear the hesitation in his voice. She turned herself around to greet him, but frowned even more at the look on his face.

At that moment, Bali knew that something really was wrong.

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><p><strong>Yeah, Egypt is going to war with their northeastern neighbor, Syria. The Pharaoh is dying and sadness is surely to come... No worries though, because Atem's younger sister will bring some spice into things. Not to mention that Bali is going to prepare for war! Please review and tell me your thoughts about my lovely pun! ... And the war, of course!<strong>


	9. Soul Spilling

**Hello everyone! It's airheadninja, and I'd like to thank everyone reading this! Aaaaanyways, this chapter is gonna be a little emotional. **

**The-Living-Shadow, look for a little something you gave to me! I thank you for it, because now I don't have to word it myself! ;)**

**Don't own YGO! or anything associated with it! **

**With that, may another exciting chapter of 'An Historic Discovery' begin! Enjoy!**

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><p>"Atem, what's wrong? You're not usually the type to be so down about things." Bali said, trying to joke around a little, but Atem's grave face made her mood fall short.<p>

"I won't be around for the next week. I will be helping Princess Sarin-an-Munad return to the palace. But before I leave, I have something to ask." Atem explained, sitting next to Bali. He took his sandals off and dipped his feet into the water. For Atem, that was the most relaxing thing to do. For Bali, it was an annoyance.

"DA-NI-" Ra began, but Bali willed her mind voice to be as loud as possible.

"WILL YOU SHUT UP ABOUT THE NILE? IT'S NOT FUNNY ANYMORE!" She screeched, and Ra went quiet, though Bali could still hear incoherent mumblings.

"Bali, could you please focus? I have something really serious to say." Atem requested, and Bali resisted the urge to check his forehead. This was _not _the carefree and fun Atem she knew.

"Sorry. Please continue." Bali apologized, though she hardly kept her annoyance from her voice. Atem hesitated because of that, but asked his question forcefully.

"Are you really a goddess?"

Bali sat blinking with a surprised expression. Her mouth was open and her heart started hammering in her chest. Atem looked like he was getting ready to be charged as a blasphemer and cursed by the gods. His gaze held steady at Bali however, and Bali couldn't find the words to say.

"Gig's up. I trust him, and I think you do too." Ra pointed out, showing his serious side. Bali stared at her lap for a few moments.

"No, I'm not." She admitted, but somehow it felt good to get off of her chest. Bali knew at this point that she felt guilty for deceiving so many people.

"What?"

"I said I'm not a goddess. Not yet anyways." Bali repeated, and Ra gave his approval with her additional sentence.

Bali didn't know, but Ra took that sentence as a sign that Bali's affections for Egypt were returning. Atem continued to surprise by losing his temper.

"Why have you lied to all of us? _You _should be the one to be punished by the gods!" He exploded, and Bali felt slightly hurt.

"Hey, did you not hear my last sentence? I said _yet_, moron! And all of you _assumed _that I was a goddess because of this," Bali showed her Ra mark.

"And by the fact that I said that Ra sent me, _and_ by the fact that I can read and write! It's true that Ra sent me here, and it's true that I did lie to you, but I never even wanted to do it in the first place! So shut UP!" Bali shouted, getting upset once more. She stood to run away. And not just to her room, but far, far away where nothing would bother her again. Before she could get away, Atem grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to the ground.

"You're going to explain this to me, Bali. And tell me who you really are." Atem demanded, holding Bali's shoulders firmly so she wouldn't run off. Bali struggled, but was too upset to have any effect.

"You killed her! You killed her…" Bali whimpered, bowing her head and crying. Atem was confused by this answer. He had never killed any woman. Had he unintentionally done something to kill someone close to Bali?

"What do you mean?"

"My mother is gone because of Egypt, and I'll **never **forgive it for that!" Bali yelled, her head still down so Atem couldn't look her in the eyes.

"You aren't Syrian are you?" Atem asked alarmed, gripping Bali's shoulders even more.

"No. I'm from a country that hasn't even been founded yet. I took a test against my will and passed. The test was to gain Ra's power, but apparently I'm not good enough. To gain his power, I must learn to love Egypt. I feel no love for it at all, so Ra refuses until I do. That is the reason he sent me here. Ra wants me to gain his powers, but like a jackass, is too stubborn to get the fact that I hate this country." Bali seethed, her fists tightening around the hem of her skirt.

Atem was wide-eyed with shock. But the most difficult thing for him to hear was that she hated his homeland, the thing he was sworn to protect.

"Don't hate Egypt! You're only saying this because you're upset, but please... Don't tell more lies." Atem pleaded, softening his hold on Bali and using a softer tone of voice.

"You won't listen. I'm not telling lies."

"Yes you are. If you hated Egypt, Ra would have no hope in you at all. You would have committed many serious crimes against us. You've made friends in the palace, and the people outside the palace respect and revere you, even if they don't know what you really look like. You don't hate Egypt as much as you seem to believe." Atem pointed out, gently lifting her chin so she could see the sincerity in his eyes. Bali's eyes were red and puffy from crying, and even though she didn't answer and held a frown, Atem knew that he was right by the gleam in her eyes.

"But what happened to your mother?" Atem asked, making Bali draw away and turn towards the river. She sat staring and contemplating whether she should tell him.

"Kitten, it will be all right if you tell him about your mother." Ra soothed, fading away because night was about to fall.

"My mother was the most important person in my life. I loved her so much, and she loved me too. In the future, Egypt is an ancient civilization, and ever since I was a little girl I had been obsessed with it. When I was ten years old, my parents surprised me with a trip to Egypt, then my greatest dream. My father had connections, so we were able to go explore a newly discovered tomb. My mother and I were going through together, making sure we were safe when the bridge we were on began to collapse. I don't remember what happened after that, only that I had made it out safe and my mother had not. My father was crying when I woke up, and when I tried to ask what was wrong, he sent me away. He blames me for what happened, and was never the loving father I thought he was ever again. I was left to fend for myself, so I did. I became an archaeologist because that is what my mother would have wanted for me, and I was good at it. I stayed clear of Egypt for the most part, but my apprenticeship led me to that stupid chamber where I took the Trial of Ra. And here I am." Bali leaked, staring into the slow flow of the river. Atem didn't understand her English word 'archaeologist' because Bali had said it in in the foreign language.

"What was that word you said you were?" Atem asked, wanting to better understand what she was talking about. Bali was sudden;y even more fascinating than before. She was from the future!

"Oh. It is someone who studies ancient cultures through the remains of that culture. That's why I know how to read and write in your language. My native language is called English." Bali informed, and Atem tried to say English. Needless to say, it came out funny. Bali couldn't help but smile at the try-out of the word. His face had been screwed up funny and he concentrated every fiber of his being into saying it.

"Bali, you and your mother shouldn't have been going through a tomb anyways. It's forbidden and you'd be cursed by the gods." Atem scolded, but Bali shook her head.

"Remember what I said about my job? I'm someone who studies a culture through the remains. Tombs count as remains, Atem. And as much as you say, many tombs were raided already. Not all people were reverent of the past. Some tomb raiders were even during this time, but it was much less destructive than in my time. Archaeologists like me and my teacher try to preserve as much as we can and treat everything with respect. We aren't in it for the money at all." Bali explained, and Atem knew what she was talking about with the tomb raiders.

"Atem, you can't tell anyone about me being from the future. Or anything like that. It would completely change the fate of Egypt, and probably for the worse." Bali warned and Atem gave her a suspicious look.

"How do I know you are telling the truth about Ra sending you here? You have lied before, why not now?" Atem inquired bitterly. Bali glared.

"Ra, during the day, appears in my mind and likes to make nosy comments about the way I do things and guides me. He just left my head to fight against the two great monsters on his boat. You don't need proof to believe in him and the other gods, so why should you need proof to believe in me? You trust the gods, and I promise you, you can trust me from now on. I won't tell a lie, unless of course it's for a certain reason." Bali stated and Atem was amazed at the truth in her statement. It was true, he didn't really have proof of the gods, but he knew he would trust in them and praise them regardless. He and Bali faced each other.

"I believe you, Bali." Atem finally said, and Bali smiled widely. She rubbed her face, smearing kohl everywhere. When she looked up again, Atem nearly started laughing.

"You should probably go clean up. You look like a clown." Atem commented and Bali stood with hands on hips.

"Thanks for the compliment. Here let me make your face a little better!" Bali prodded, and pounced at Atem's face. Atem was too slow and got his own kohl screwed up in the process.

Servants and slaves alike couldn't help but stare at the two chuckling friends as they made their way through the palace. They looked like clowns having the times of their lives, and it was very obscure. Near the entrance to the hallway towards Bali's room, they stopped to give their goodbyes.

"Thank you Atem, for saying you'll keep my secret. I guess I won't see you for awhile." Bali said, feeling a little awkward because they were acting so serious with their faces painted so ridiculously.

"I guess not. I promise to stay safe for you, Bali. Ra knows I'm the only thing that keeps you sane here." Atem pointed out, making Bali slap his shoulder and shake her head.

"Don't push it. But really, don't screw up or anything. You're still one of my greatest friends, despite your bad attitude sometimes."

"Hey!"

"You know it's true."

"You have a bad attitude too!"

"I know that, but I appreciate mine. You just act like a spoiled brat."

"Bali..."

"I'm kidding. Well, I guess we should both get some sleep. We're both going to be busy tomorrow. Good night!" Bali yawned, turned towards her door, but Atem reached out and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He pulled her towards him and put his mouth towards her ear.

"Don't hate Egypt." He whispered, squeezing Bali slightly before letting go and running off. Bali stood in shock and didn't move.

"Lady Bali, are you alright? What happened to your face?" Mery called, exiting her room and seeing her mistress.

Bali snapped out of her trance of thinking and scratched the back of her head in shame.

"Atem and I were clowning around again." Bali admitted, leaving out her soul spilling.

"I'll say. Well, we had better get you cleaned up so you can eat dinner. You've been invited down to a meeting with Pharaoh and his court to eat and discuss Syria." Mery relayed, and Bali was alert of her surroundings once more.

"Oh yeah... Egypt is going to war... But..." Bali thought, though she hesitated about willfully giving her help to defend the nation.

"Don't hate Egypt." Rang in her head, and Bali sighed smiling.

"Don't hate Egypt, huh? I guess I'll have to help then." She muttered, and willingly let Mery scoot her off towards her washroom for a quick cleaning and change of clothes.

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><p><strong>Oh Atem, you figured Bali out! But Bali has yet to find anything flawed with Atem's schedule... <strong>

**Bali's mother was an important part of this story, which is why the prologue suddenly makes sense. The princess will be coming soon, and so will an exciting new twist!**

**I hope you will keep reading and that you will review!**


	10. I'm Not Moses

**Welcome to a new chapter everyone! I've been gushing with ideas for this story and therefore will be a writing machine for awhile! My sister is home and giving me more ideas than before! I hope you enjoy this new one, it was fun to write.**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Ancient Egypt or Yu-Gi-Oh! Ancient Egypt was its own civilization, and YGO! belongs to Takahashi-sensei! Now, get reading!**

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><p>It was official: Egypt was going to war and there was nothing Bali could do about it. Atem had been gone for three days with the reinforcement party for protecting the princess. Bali wished she could have gone with to meet the princess, but it was too late for her to ready herself for such a trip.<p>

Bali was stuck with Priest Seth and the holders of the Millennium Items in planning strategies for protecting the palace and placement around Egypt's ordeal.

"My friends, the time has come again for we, the great protectors of Egypt to use the Millennium Items to protect our great land. Priest Seth, Bali, I am pleased to hear that you wish to help more than what is required of you. Now, where shall we begin?" Pharaoh opened the speech, and Bali didn't feel like eating the food in front of her. The thought of going out to fight whole-heartedly for something she didn't really care for, but Atem's words kept reverberating in her ears.

The doors burst open, and there stood a clean, well groomed and clothed Hutsat. Bali felt her mood lighten slightly. Hutsat was a spy. Spies are cool. And Bali wanted to be cool.

"Pharaoh, we have just received word that the Princess's party has made it to the checkpoint. They will arrive tomorrow. May I join the meeting?" Hutsat relayed hurriedly, sitting down beside Bali without receiving the go-ahead. Akhnemkhanen laughed grimly.

"Thank you Hutsat. I think our first order of business should be you, Lady Bali." Akhnemkhanen continued, while Hutsat bit into a pear with no hesitation. Bali couldn't understand how he could stomach it. She could tell that Isis and Mahad were just about as withered by the situation as she was.

"Right. Priest Seth and Master Akhenaden have trained me well this past month, but I feel I am not ready to head out with shield and spear to the battlefields." Bali gave her input. It was mostly true, but she said it because she didn't want to go out there.

"Akhenaden, your thoughts?"

"She is absolutely correct. She is not ready for the chariots or foot infantry. She is a well enough fighter in hand-to-hand, and her archery skills could put many Nubians to shame. I suggest a more subtle place for Lady Bali." Akhenaden gave his input, and Priest Seth seemed to enjoy the report. Bali tightened her fists in anger.

"How much you wanna bet that he thinks that no woman would ever ride a chariot! Shit-faced moron!" Bali raged in her head, though Ra did not answer because of the evening hours.

"Hey," Hutsat yelled from beside Bali, making her flinch away as his hand shot up. Everyone's attention was garnered as the (now that Bali got to see him as a normal person) young man finished swallowing.

"She can come with us. We need some firepower in our corner. We informants aren't used to some of the work you're asking us to do. She'll be great." Hutsat suggested lightly, taking the finishing bite of his pear and discarding it behind him for a slave to clean up.

Bali was intrigued by this endorsement. She'd get to be a spy and not even have to whittle down on expectations or anything! No convincing, and no pleading! Akhnemkhanen sat thinking, and eventually nodded with Akhenaden.

"Bali, you shall be put under Hutsat's order. Hutsat, please stay as we discuss more of the details. Bali, please go get ready and rest. Your maids will not be able to go with you, so you shall be assigned a slave to care for you on the road." Akhnemkhanen ordered, and Bali didn't voice her discontent with getting a slave. She left quietly, gleefully taking note of the look of surprise and... was that jealousy? On Seth's face.

"Lady Bali, we're going to miss you so much!" Su cried, both maids packing up different supplies from a list Hutsat had delivered through another servant. Bali shrugged from her position.

"I just can't sit around. You two had better stay out of trouble." Bali warned, sitting cross-legged on her bed. She was staring at the flower Atem had given her. It still looked as beautiful as the day it had been picked. Bali had spoken with Mana and hung around with the young mage, as well as Mahad and Isis. But Bali still didn't get the same fulfillment like she did with Atem. He always knew what she was thinking somehow, and nobody had been able to do that since her mother.

"Lady Bali, the slave that will be travelling with you is here. She's a good worker and I have seen her around the palace before. She is very likable for a slave." Mery informed, and Bali jumped out of her seated position and bolted to see the girl. Mery and Su were standing away from her like she had the plague. Bali softened her expression when looking at this frightened, underweight dirty girl.

"Mery, Su! Get a bath ready for this girl and prepare some fresh clothes!" Bali commanded, but the maids hesitated.

"But, she is a slave-"

"Mery, the work I am about to enter requires me to be undetectable. I can't do that if I have a slave like this following me around." Bali explained, making it up off the top of her head. The two maids still seemed uncomfortable by th idea, but one more stern look from Bali got them going. Bali turned to the slave before her.

"Hello, little one. What is your name?" Bali asked in Hebrew, the native language that all slaves understood and spoke. She looked up in surprise and Bali was met with giant, warm brown eyes. Her dirty brown curls shook past her face.

"You can speak our language? How?" She asked, and Bali chuckled as the slave backed away slightly.

"Where I am from, it is a requirement. Now, your name?"

"A-Abigail, my lady."

"The Father's joy. A pretty name. My name is Bali. Please don't be alarmed because I know your language." Bali introduced, getting Abigail to stand up. Bali shook her head slightly. Abigail was barely over ten years old, and the girl was skinny and tanned from work in the fields.

"Lady Bali, the bath is ready." Su called monotonously, and Bali put an arm around the slave girl.

"Where are we going, Ms. Bali?" Abigail asked, freezing up at the gesture.

"You're getting cleaned up properly. No slave of mine will look like this. Mery, Su! I'll take care of this little one myself. Go ahead and take a break for all of the trouble I've caused you." Bali said, switching from Hebrew to Egyptian like it was nothing. Mery and Su appeared with small smiles of relief. Bali believed that it was because they had thought that she preferred the slave girl to them. Bali saw that the jealousy was gone however and the maids went on their merry way.

"You are very talented, Ms. Bali." Abigail complimented, in awe of Bali's linguistic skill. Bali shrugged.

"I'm not originally Egyptian, and I had to learn all sorts of languages back where I come from. I went to special schools just to learn all of them. But enough of that, in the tub you go!" Bali scooped up the girl and dunked her in the warm water.

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><p>Atem was doing well in protecting his sister and leading the recovery party. Everyone was listening and executing his orders well, and Atem was glad that nothing had happened yet. Within the next day they would be back to the palace.<p>

Atem's patience however, was suffering mightily. His younger sister was the thorn in his side, for all she did most of the time was complain. Atem had never really liked Sarin-an-Munad, but he dealt with her fairly, as his father had taught him.

"Atem, it's really hot! Why do I have to stay in this stuffy palanquin all day? Tell the soldiers to walk smoother, the ride is too bumpy! My throat is sore, could I _please _get some water over here?" Sarin's voice carried from her curtained carriage, and Atem glared at it from his horse. He looked apologetically to the guards carrying her and nodded his head. They were working hard, and trying to focus even more on their walking would tire them out even more. But they understood and Atem promised them (to himself) that they would get extra time off to be with their families. Even with the war coming on, Hutsat had informed him that the Assyrian forces weren't fully gathered yet.

Atem kept thinking about Bali whenever he was riding along with nothing to do. There were many questions he wanted to ask, that he had wanted to ask since the very moment he had found out the truth. He wanted to ask them, but knew that at the time Bali was too upset. Atem wanted to know what her home was like, and how different Egypt was from the future. Atem figured she wouldn't tell him much because she wanted to keep the future stable. He wasn't a fool; he would do the same thing.

"Master Atem, sentry report! There are two riders approaching from ahead! They are waving the flag of Pharaoh, your majesty." The guard rode up and reported. Atem nodded and rode ahead with the man to see who it was. Atem was delighted to see Hutsat, along with...

"Bali! What are you doing here?" Atem called, a smile spreading on his face as she rode up on Bit. Atem pulled up beside and tried to reach out, but Bit reached out and nearly bit his hand.

"Whoa! Sorry about that Atem, he's protective. Bit, he's Atem, my friend and your friend too. Quit behaving like an ignorant pony!" Bali scolded, and Bit flipped his mane around defiantly, but seemed to listen. Bali looked up to Atem with a smile.

"I'm part of Hutsat's group now! It'll be my position for the duration of the war. If nothing drastic happens, anyway." Bali answered, turning to get comfortable. Atem noticed two small arms wrapped around Bali's torso.

"Who is that?" Atem pointed out, and the figure popped her head out shyly. Her eyes widened and she hid behind Bali again.

"This is my traveling servant Abigail. She's shy, that's all." Bali explained, and Atem frowned.

"That is a slave name." He said flatly, not understanding why this particular slave was being treated so well. Bali frowned at his comment.

"Atem, she is a slave. But you know what, I don't care. Slaves are people too. They have ideas thoughts and feelings just like we do. They worship differently than you, but honestly they aren't much different." Bali said, patting Abigail's head fondly. Atem jumped off of his horse and gestured for Bali to do the same. Bali quietly told Abigail to stay and followed Atem to the side.

"You can't say stuff like that. Slaves are tools, property. You can't change that!" Atem argued, but Bali shook her head.

"I have no intention of freeing the slaves. It is not my place to do so. But still, Atem. In the future, slavery is a sin. The world frowns upon it, and it's a terrible thing. The country I come from had slaves for a long time, but we got rid of it. You must understand that I was born into a slave-free country. I can't change the views I have on slavery, and I can't change yours. So please, just drop it and let Abigail be human, instead of just a tool or property." Bali swiftly answered, her anger evident in her eyes, her voice steadily getting louder. Atem couldn't argue any more on the subject, and instead chose to nod. Bali smiled like nothing had happened.

"So, is the Princess in that palanquin? I'd like to meet her." Bali chirped, marching on ahead as Atem followed behind while thinking about what Bali had just said.

"Princess Sarin-an-Munad is in there, but let me talk to her first. She's pretty moody right now and might not want visitors." Atem replied, and ran ahead to her palanquin and opened the curtain. Bali stood a distance away, arms crossed and weight on one foot.

"What is it brother? Why have we stopped, I want to get home!" Sarin whined, but Atem shushed her.

"Lady Bali has joined the party along with Hutsat. Don't tell her that I'm your brother, okay? Could you at least do that for me?" Atem asked, not really pleading. Sarin raised a delicate eyebrow.

"And why should I do that?"

"She's my friend for reasons other than the fact that I'm the Crown Prince. Now will you or won't you?"

"Well, only if she rides with me the rest of the way home. You don't get to talk to her at _all _until we get home. I think that's fair." Sarin thought aloud, a giant smirk appearing on her face. Atem's mouth opened to protest, but he closed it immediately and gave in.

"Just know that she might have a job to do from Hutsat, okay?" Atem stated, and ducked out from the curtains. Sarin sat thinking about this 'Bali.' Her smirk had faded into a large frown.

"This girl had better not be after the crown! Besides, only family members can become the Great Royal Wife! She poses no threat to me." Sarin thought, and she heard a voice nearing. Sarin assumed it to be Bali and put a pleasant smile on her face. The curtains parted and Sarin couldn't believe her eyes.

"Hello, Princess Sarin-an-Munad. I'm Lady Bali, a visitor from Ra's palace in the heavens. How are you today?" Bali inquired politely. From the way Atem had acted when he called her over with the okay, the princess was in a sour mood.

"O-oh, I am wonderful, thank you. How are you so pale?" Sarin let slip, and Bali chuckled as she climbed up to sit next to the princess.

"Well, let's say that the desert sun isn't where I spend most of my time. Is it a bad thing?"

"No! I mean, no, it's just curious. I've never really seen anyone so pale. You are quite beautiful because of it." Sarin complimented, restraining from gritting her teeth. The fact was a hard one to admit for the princess.

"Thank you. But you are far more beautiful than I am, honestly." Bali complimented right back. Bali knew that the princess was probably spoiled, but didn't care. If she could get past the brat routine she might find someone worthwhile. And the Princess was very pretty, a desert bloom that rarely showed itself to society. Sarin couldn't help but feel surprised at the kind return of the compliment, because Bali meant it.

"Thank you. So what is a goddess doing here of all places?" Sarin asked, breaking a silence that had taken place because the troupe had begun moving again. Bali shrugged.

"Ra sent me here for experience. To rule over the people, you must know what it is like to be one of them. Just a little, anyway." Bali answered.

"I said no such thing!" Ra exclaimed in Bali's mind.

"Well, you probably would eventually." Bali reasoned, and Ra agreed begrudgingly. Bali didn't notice the awestruck look on Sarin-an-Munad's face. The princess had just decided something as the goddess turned to ask if she was okay.

"This woman... Is going to be my new best friend and inspiration!" She thought, and smiled truly for the first time since she left Nubia.

"My crown... It is safe!" Sarin gladly announced to herself, and went on to converse with Bali about all sorts of topics.

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><p>After stopping for the night and heading out early the next morning, the group finally made it back to Thebes. It was practically a parade as the people in the city gathered around to give praise to their princess. Abigail had ridden on Bit the entire time, the old horse protecting her from jeers by lashing out at anyone who dared to come near besides Bali or Atem. When they were back at the palace, Bali climbed stiffly out of the palanquin to see that Atem had raced off somewhere. Bali was disappointed by this fact, until Hutsat rode up with Bit following.<p>

"How did you get him to listen to you?" Bali inquired, and Hutsat shrugged like it was nothing.

"I have my ways. Now, let Abigail take care of everything while we go meet up with Pharaoh. Let's go." Hutsat commanded, flipping off of his horse like a show off and dragging Bali with him. Sarin waved good-bye as if the occurrence was completely normal.

"Pharaoh, we've got news for you!" Hutsat called ahead as he burst into the throne room. The pharaoh and his court looked up from a map of strategic planning to gather in the heavily breathing Bali and the calm informant.

"What is it?"

"We're back." Hutsat answered simply, and walked off. Bali fell to the ground in shock, as did most of the Pharaoh's court. Bali got up and apologized for Hutsat.

"No, he's always like that. But tell me: where is my daughter?" Akhnemkhanen inquired worriedly, beore the doors opened again.

"Father, I'm home!" Sarin squealed, racing up to embrace the Pharaoh. Bali smiled. She had informed Sarin of her father's condition and was glad that the princess was being loving. Bali had gotten past the prissy show and got to know the princess a little. Bali knew that she loved her father dearly.

"Her father can now move on peacefully knowing that she is safe at home." Ra stated, and Bali nodded.

"He's not going now, is he?"

"Not yet, but you know the time is coming."

"Unfortunately. Hey Ra?"

"What, little kitten?"

"You aren't mad at me for saying what I did yesterday, are you?"

"Of course not, kitten," Ra chuckled.

"Of course not."

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><p><strong>Whee, Sarin-an-Munad is here! She's a good person when she's not being a spoiled brat. Atem and Bali were thinking about each other, how sweet! <strong>

**Well, the next chapter will put Bali into the fray, and Hutsat will become more important than ever before! **

**Reviews are always welcome and thank you to those who have already!**


	11. GoodBye for Now

**Bali leaves for Syria, Atem acts like a male (sounds weird, but you'll see), and there is more of the one and only... HUTSAT!**

**My favorite is Hutsat. In my mind, he's just too awesome. But alas he is a fictional character. But he is _my_ character, unlike the characters from YGO! and Ancient Egypt and Syria!**

**FUN FACT: Syria was once ruled by King Nebuchadnezzar. Yeah, try spelling that off the top of your head when next randomly asked! He is not king now because he is too late for the dynasty I am putting this story in. **

**ENJOY!**

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><p>"Girls, where is Atem? Do you have any idea?" Bali asked hurriedly, watching her maids help Abigail pack up Bali's small pack effectively. Bali was in her old clothes from the future (Whoa).<p>

"Lady Bali, why do you need to know? And why aren't you wearing proper war garb?" Mery asked sternly, looking up and down at Bali's strange attire. Bali flapped her hands in the air in exasperation.

"I'm leaving soon and I want to say good-bye, that's all! And I happen to have orders from Hutsat who is strategizing around these clothes!" She huffed and Mery strode over while Su continued to help Abigail.

"Last I heard, he was down in the maid's quarters and talking to Memnet." Mery relayed, and Bali sped off without another word.

"Gah!" Bali yelled as she bumped into someone going around the corner. A firm grip on her arms kept her upright.

"I know we're leaving soon, but what's making you hurry so much?" He said not necessarily amused, but with dull curiosity edging his tone. Bali looked up into the bright green eyes of Hutsat, her kind-of boss. She didn't answer as se stared at the emotionless face.

"He almost looks… bored." Bali assessed, peering at the handsome face. His eyebrow raised.

"Fine, you don't have to tell me." He stated, and released Bali. Bali hadn't realized he had been holding onto her until that point and staggered slightly. Hutsat began to walk away at a relaxed pace. He picked a long piece of some type of grass edging the wall and placed it into his mouth. It stuck out and made him look like some easy-going farm boy.

"Wait! Do you happen to know where Atem is?" Bali inquired, hoping to get an updated report of his whereabouts. Hutsat turned slowly with the same bored face.

"No. I'm not always on the job you know." He said flatly, and turned back around at Bali's frustrated look.

"Thanks anyways." She called back, obviously trying hard to be polite. He listened to her run off grumbling to herself. Hutsat meandered a ways before smiling to himself.

"She's pretty cute."

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><p>"Atem, you're going to have to tell her at some point. She'll be angry of course, but who wouldn't be?" Memnet consoled, as the nervous prince paced about the room.<p>

"What if she doesn't want to see me ever again though? What if she leaves? What if-"

"What ifs could go on forever, young man. The question is whether or not you love her enough to try and keep her with you." Memnet interrupted. Atem's head snapped to the old maid with a serious and collected look.

"I am not in love with her." He replied slowly, but the not seemed sour on his tongue. Memnet glanced up to meet the prince's eyes.

"You wouldn't be so distressed if you weren't in love." Memnet pointed out, making Atem widen his eyes and bring his hand to his chin in thought.

"But we've only known each other for a short time and she's not in the Royal Family! It can't happen, and I don't love her! She's just a good friend!" Atem countered, more to himself than to Memnet.

Atem made ready to leave in defiance, leaving Memnet with this thought; "That boy is so in love he's blind to it. Foolishness, I think. Both of them have grown up from being around each other. But they're too stubborn to see what is right in front of them."

And as both maid and prince thought, in came the goddess herself, a determined frown on her face. She smiled slightly when she bumped into Atem.

"I found you! I'm leaving soon you know, and I wanted to say bye." Bali informed, and Atem couldn't form words as Memnet's voice echoed in his mind.

**"You wouldn't be so distressed if you weren't in love." **

"Are you okay? You look a little flushed." Bali pointed out his reddened cheeks, which made his face blush more.

"I-I'm fine. When exactly are you leaving?" Atem covered, and fought to bring the blush down. Bali stared for a little bit in wonder before beckoning him to start walking with her.

"Whenever Hutsat calls for the troupe. We're heading straight for Syria. Gonna try an awesome tactic that I partly came up with myself." Bali informed proudly. Atem grabbed her shoulders and stopped her.

"You can't! That's way too dangerous, you could die!" He cried, and Bali's expression hardened.

"Ssh!" She whispered, and Atem quieted so two servants could pass by with their masters in tow. Bali sighed.

"Let's go to the sanctuary, and I'll explain everything." Bali suggested, grabbing Atem's wrist and dragging him along. Atem couldn't help but wish that it was his hand in hers, not the unloving hold her hand had on his wrist.

"See? She doesn't feel anything for me because we're only friends!" Atem stated in his brain, and his mind accepted it. His heart however, did not. His heart was worried because of Bali's assignment.

They arrived quietly and let themselves really breathe in the privacy. Bali sat at the river and dipped her toes in.

"I'm going to miss coming here. If I get out of this whole thing alive I'll be okay though." Bali comforted herself, but nervousness started to creep up on her.

"What if this plan gets everyone killed? This is Egypt's preemptive strike to take the lead back from the enemy! If it screws up, Egypt is going to have a pretty tough time. Especially with the fact that the supposed goddess is now dead. I don't think they'll give an honorable farewell to such a great liar." Bali stormed in her mind, wanting to spill everything to Atem all at once but controlling herself so he wouldn't freak out.

"Now what plan is this?" Atem inquired seriously, his voice deep and concerned. Bali couldn't help but like the sound of it, because it reminded her of the father who once loved her before her mother died.

"We're going to station a few of our members along the border and coast, but I'm part of the main group that will infiltrate Syria. We're going to try and get to the capitol to gather information about the conditions of the people and country. If the government is the only thing really driving these people to war, the people won't want to fight. We plan on triggering a coup to at least distract and weaken the government. It'll be dangerous, but effective if it works. I'll be especially effective because I don't look like I'm from the desert like everyone else. They won't think I'm suspicious at all and will let me in. I just hope I can play my part well." Bali confided while Atem stared at the slowly running water crossing their feet.

"It's too dangerous for you." Atem said, a king's finality lacing his tone. Bali snorted in amusement.

"Please, I've had way more dangerous things in my life. Including the trial I had to endure before coming here. I can handle myself." Bali said, her voice filled with memories of the late George Corman. Bali couldn't help but smile smugly.

"He went to whatever bad thing Ra called it,"

"Shadow Realm!"

"Right, and I got to live here like a flippin' princess. Is that karma or what?" Bali asked herself, though Ra took it upon himself to answer her question.

"See? Isn't it better than you first thought?"

"Don't push it feather-head."

"Feather-head? Where did that insult come from?" Ra asked, hurt evident in his voice.

"When your people depict you the scriptures, it is with the head of a falcon. Which is a bird with feathers. Thus feather-head."Bali laid out, and Ra snorted and kept quiet.

To Atem, it looked like Bali was changing expressions slightly while spacing out. He remembered a former conversation of theirs.

"Are you... talking to Ra?" Atem inquired, scooting closer in interest.

"Yeah. What about it?" Bali answered simply while Atem was awed. More of Bali's complete nonchalance than of actually speaking to Ra.

"Is he always in your head talking to you?"

"Not always, but he likes to butt in when he feels necessary. Sometimes it is really annoying. He leaves at sunset, so I get my nights to myself." Bali explained, and a blush came onto Atem's face again.

He had imagined Bali. At night. Alone. Well, except for him.

And from there, his thoughts went into erotic mode.

"Well, I have to go now, have some important business to attend to." Atem got up hurriedly so he could try and rid himself of the dirty thoughts plaguing his brain. Bali gave him a slightly curious glance at his hurry, but shrugged standing up next to him.

"I hope I see you again." Bali told him, a new small confidence spreading its wings in her soul. Atem watched as she began to leave before silencing his terrible thoughts to reach out again.

"We will see each other. Good luck." Atem whispered in her ear from behind, hugging her much the same way as the night he had found out about Bali's humanity. Bali slightly leaned into it with a hopeless smile.

"You like giving these to me. And I promise to come see you first thing I get back." Bali said patting his arms and pulling out of them. She stalked off, and while Atem watched her go, his barrier went down again.

"Stop thinking about her, you've got more important things to do-" Another naughty vision at this comment appeared. Atem smacked his forehead.

"Stop!"

* * *

><p>"You ready new girl? I had to pull some strings to get that nice bow and quiver for you." Hutsat informed, hailing her as she rode up on Bit, Abigail holding her torso tightly.<p>

"As ready as ever. You're sure Assyrian guards won't be suspicious of someone with a Nubian bow and quiver?" Bali asked in concern. She didn't want her cover blown before she even got to work!

"Of course. They may be hard to get your hands on, but the Nubians and Assyrians trade around too. They'll think you're one tough woman if you're carrying that around."

"Well, my cover is that it was my father's and that I am travelling to Syria to find an old friend of his. The old friend _will _be you right? Because you're awfully good at pretending to be an old man."

"What can I say, I'm a master of disguise." Hutsat gave her a charming smile and wink before looking around once more to take a head count.

"Jihan is still missing, but he's usually late anyway. If it's not me who's late."

"What an excellent leader you are." Bali replied sarcastically, pulling Bit away from Hutsat's horse. Bit was about to bite of the mare's ear, and Bali felt that that would be a terrible way to start their mission.

"Lord Hutsat, I am here!" a man called (Bali assumed him to be Jihan) and Hutsat rode to the front of the pack.

"Alright everyone. We're going to have to play this one out nicely in order to really make this work. Help Lady Bali if she asks and/or looks like she needs it. Don't take that as an incentive to bully her though boys. You've no doubt heard about her dealings with Priest Seth. Now, move out!" Hutsat commanded, and like leaves to wind they scattered. Bali gave Hutsat a bewildered look. She kicked Bit into gear to ride up to the grinning Hutsat.

"I thought we were travelling as a group?" Bali questioned, and was intrigued by the smile on Hutsat's face. He gave her a concerned look.

"You really are an amateur. Travelling as a group brings attention, which is definitely unwanted. All of my men are falconers as am I, which is how we shall send status reports throughout our ride. You will stick with me because you are not a falconer, understand? I have orders from higher up to look after you, and I don't want to get into that bundle of trouble."

Bali nodded and both set off slowly at first through the village, but once away they galloped their horses north.

Hutsat sighed as the wind blew across his ears. He thought about his meeting with the four members of the Royal Family remaining in the palace.

* * *

><p>"Hutsat, we all know you are capable of completing this mission with your men. However, with Lady Bali assisting you, I implore you to be careful and to protect her. And not only do I wish that, but my brother and two children." Akhnemkhanen coughed, his brother patting his shoulder for support. Atem and Sarin-an-Munad looked at each other sadly. They had had more siblings, but disease had struck during their childhood, as well as war. Sarin-an-Munad was Atem's half sister, whose mother died giving birth. Atem's mother had died mysteriously when he was young, and Ibir-nu-Abn's mother had committed suicide. All in all, their father had decided to leave his marital life alone after the death of Sarin-an-Munad's mother.<p>

"Please Hutsat, she is like another sister to me. We haven't known each other for long, but she has grown to be important to me." Sarin chimed, feeling like her father had given her the permission.

"She is an excellent student. She shows too much promise to be wasted on this pointless war." Akhenaden followed. Atem stood, keeping to himself. There was silence until Atem began to step forward. He went right up into Hutsat's face, fire burning in his violet-red eyes.

"If she dies, you should hope that she shows mercy to you in the afterlife, if you even get there. Because I will **not**. Understand?" Atem warned, his voice deathly quiet.

"Of course." Hutsat replied, his face and tone of voice holding seriousness and sincerity. Atem nodded and brushed past the informant captain.

"Protect her." Atem called out before leaving the throne room, and the door slammed behind him.

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><p>"Yeah, I'm totally dead if we do something wrong." Hutsat thought, not especially concerned. He knew Bali could take care of herself and had a strong spirit. In fact, he had grown to like that spirit much more than he had originally anticipated.<p>

"I have a feeling Prince Atem wouldn't like if I made a move on her, either. Oh well. It's wartime, what can he do when we're surviving off of each other?" Hutsat thought, giving a wry grin and glancing at the focused Bali.

"She really is pretty cute."

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><p><strong>Atem's got competition! What will Bali do with the attention and affection of her new captain? <strong>

**Well, we'll all have to see, won't we? ^_~ Reviews are wonderful and appreciated greatly. Thanks to those who already have done so and thanks to those who are reading and plan on continuing to do so!**


	12. A Blushing Prince

**Here I am again, with another installment of An Historic Discovery! I aim to please, as always!**

**I don't own anything but Bali, every other character that's obviously mine, and the plot stuff. Everything else either belongs to Takahashi's YGO! or to history!**

**FUN FACT: Syria was important to Egypt because that's basically where all of the wood came from. Not to mention the resin for mummification! Nubia was important as the supplier of all the gold! And as we all know, the Egyptians _loved _gold. Hey, it was seen as the skin of the gods, why not love it?**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy!**

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><p>Night has fallen across the great desert, and the empire of the Nile Delta was preparing to head to battle by morning. Leading this force would be the bearers of the Millennium Items, with their command coming straight from Atem. Atem wasn't Pharaoh yet, but Akhnemkhanen was too weak to lead the army himself.<p>

Atem was in his room preparing his gear for war. His father was on his mind, and he couldn't help but remember the events of last night's dinner.

***FLASHBACK!***

"My son, I cannot go myself, and you shall lead Egypt's forces. Please… Take the Millennium Puzzle to guide and protect you." His father proclaimed, and the whole table gasped at the proposition. The passing of the puzzle meant that Atem was ready to take the throne, and should do so.

To everyone's surprise (Sarin-an-Munad especially), Atem shook his head.

"The Puzzle must stay with you, father. I wish it to protect you and the palace more than me. Bali is not here to bless this place, but perhaps the gods will keep safe the haven of the puzzle and the Pharaoh." He declined gracefully, and left the table for lack of hunger.

Everyone watched as the young prince walked out, mostly in awe. Atem had just given up the crown at present to try and keep his home safe in his absence. It was a noble thing to do, as most men would have jumped at the chance.

***FLASH-FORWARD!***

Atem knew he couldn't be king yet, and he didn't want to be. He had a dark feeling in the pit of his stomach that the Millennium Puzzle was the only thing really keeping his father alive. The country couldn't bear to go to war and lose their gracious king at the same time. Atem wrapped his cape around him and decided to just walk about the palace. He finally dressed as the prince he was, and with Bali far away, there was nothing to fear about her discovering his true identity.

"Bali, I wonder where you are now, and if you are safe. I promise that I'll help protect Egypt like you would want me to, regardless of my background and of what you say." He thought, thinking of his-

"Friend." Atem muttered, almost through gritted teeth. He couldn't understand why he kept doing that. He had come to terms with the fact that Bali was attractive and that he couldn't help thinking about her in dirty ways, but there had been other women who had brought that thought process besides her, and he hadn't loved any of them. So why should thinking about Bali like that mean he was in love with her? He put his train of thought to the side however when Mahad and Mana approached with small sad smiles on their faces.

"We're going to war tomorrow." Mahad pointed out, and Atem nodded slowly.

"I have to stay here, which is stupid. I mean, I've been working hard on my spells and I've been practicing! Can't I go Master?" Mana pleaded, standing by the side of her princely friend.

"No, you can't Mana. I don't want you to get hurt. I already let one person I care for go into the dangerous flames of war and I won't let another go who doesn't have to." Atem replied, and Mana, instead of being discouraged, only looked up in curiosity.

"Bali? She's going to Syria? Why did you let her go, she could get hurt!" Mana scolded, and Mahad put his hands on her shoulders to keep her from swinging her fists forward at Atem.

"I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen to anything I said. And I had to let her go," Atem explained quietly, looking to the sky almost as if in a trance. He thought of her confident and proud smile she had when she was explaining their tactic.

"And why not?" Mana asked impatiently, putting her hands on her hips with a pout. Never had she seen her friend act this way or let his will be overcome by anyone. This made her expression soften. Atem snapped out of his trance and blinked several times.

"She's just a force to be reckoned with when she's angry, that's all." He covered, and went to bid his two friends farewell. He wanted to be alone, to think about himself, Bali, and the war. Someone stopped him however with a frantic cry.

"Prince Atem, Mahad! Master Fasahj has been assassinated!" another of the newer members of the Pharaoh's court, Karim called out. He joined the group, gripping the Millennium Scale in sadness. Atem and Mahad followed him quickly and went to the quarters of the former holder of the Millennium Rod.

"Are you sure he was assassinated?" Atem asked, noticing that Mahad looked ill. Mahad was in charge of palace security, and something like this wasn't supposed to happen. Karim shook his head.

"We're not completely sure, but it sure does look like he was." Karim admitted, and they rounded the bend to come to the great hall that was surrounded by doorways to each of the noblemen's rooms. There was a crowd at one such door, and Atem could see that every other Millennium Item bearer was already there, along with Priest Seth, Shimon and a couple of guards. The crowd parted for Atem and Mahad. Mana was ordered to stay in the hall by Mahad, which she reluctantly did.

"Father, do you have any idea what happened here?" Atem asked, but it was Akhenaden who answered.

"I can see two beings... They're Syrian! But Mahad, how could Syrian assassins get into the palace so easily? And Isis, how could you not see this in your visions?" Akhenaden rounded on the two rookie Item holders, who looked to their toes in shame. Atem was surprised that his usually calm and collected uncle had blown up at them. It was Akhnemkhanen who deflected his anger however.

"My brother, it is not their fault. They are still getting accustomed to using their Items, and so have not fully harnessed their powers. In time and with more training, they will be as formidable as their predecessors." the king replied calmly, and Atem was amazed at the amount of control his father had of the situation, despite seeing one of his closest friends cursed with such a terrifying fate. Akhenaden nodded in understanding, and apologized quietly to his two young colleagues. Both stayed silent and still held looks of shame.

"Mahad, you had better start redeeming yourself by truly securing this palace and smoking out any intruders we have already. Priest Seth!" Akhnemkhanen ordered, and Mahad went off to do his duty while Seth stepped forward. The pharaoh handed the priest the already recovered and cleaned Millennium Rod.

"Though it is with great sadness and with no ceremony, I welcome you to the court. The Millennium Rod was meant to be passed to you. You shall protect my son soon enough." Pharaoh stated, handing over the Item with great care. Priest Seth (for once) looked truly grateful and bowed his head in honest respect. He gripped the Millennium Rod and prayed for the rest of Master Fasahj in the afterlife.

"Prince Atem, I wish you luck in your conquests. I shall be leading a different set of troops in Master Fasahj's place." Seth explained, and Atem nodded curtly. Seth brushed past him after bowing and Atem watched as everyone began to leave to attend to their duties and to prepare for battle. Only the Pharaoh and his son were left, watching as the body was taken away carefully to be prepared for the afterlife. Akhnemkhanen beckoned for his son to walk with him. Atem obliged, and they wandered aimlessly, no one daring to bother the royal pair. The aura around them deemed that they wanted privacy.

"My son, I know that I am leaving for the afterlife soon, for Osiris has visited my dreams and told me so. I am pressed to say that I want you to marry, even if you are not Pharaoh yet. I want to make sure that your future is secure and that Egypt has a future before I leave. You will take the Millennium Puzzle and take my place as king. Now, I have noticed a bond between you and Bali grow strong. Yet she does not know of your true identity?" Akhnemkhanen asked curiously, and Atem looked away with a flushed face. His father had brought up _that _subject again. And Atem had to answer.

"No, she doesn't know. I have been planning out on how to tell her because I know that I can't keep the fact that I am Pharaoh hidden." Atem admitted, as much as he didn't want to. His father chuckled slightly.

"Have you thought about making _her _your bride? You seem very fond of each other." Akhnemkhanen pointed out, and Atem's face exploded red.

"Why does everyone think that? We're only friends, and besides that, there's Sarin-an-Munad! What is she supposed to do? She's the one in the family who's supposed to become the Great Royal Wife. You've drilled that into me well enough." Atem argued, the words seeming old and recycled. But the truth was the truth, no matter how tired he got of saying it.

"You can marry Sarin-an-Munad too."

"Not my point, father." Akhnemkhanen had a bold laugh at this, and despite his condition didn't go into a fit of coughs.

"I see your point. Bali does seem the type to want to keep the attention of her husband to herself."

"Still way off!" Atem defied, but his father's statement did seem true.

"Alright, I will drop the subject. However, you have my permission to marry her if you please. After all, she won't be tainting our family's godly blood because _she_ is a _'goddess.'_" Akhnemkhanen stated, and gave a sneaky smile and wink to his son before leaving him behind in confusion.

"The way he said that... Does he know Bali's secret?" Atem thought rapidly, his face still flushed in embarrassment.

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><p>Bali and Hutsat were getting set up for their second day in the desert. As it was too stressing for the horses to go on in the peak temperatures of the day, the two became nocturnal and slept in a tent during the day. It was spacious enough, but Bali and Hutsat kept to completely opposite sides. Hutsat had obliged to Bali's request of this arrangement, thinking it added to her cuteness.<p>

"Bali, you fed Bit, right?" Hutsat reminded, and the teenage girl groaned from her bedroll. She sat up sleepily and stared at Hutsat warily.

"You seem awake enough and Bit likes you. Why don't you do it?"

"Ah, Mistress Bali , I have already done everything!" Abigail chirped from her side of the tent. It wasn't far from Bali, but Bali wanted her own space after having Abigail wrapped around her torso all night. Bali raised her hand and smiled slightly.

"See? No need to worry, it's all taken care of. The little girl is reliable." Bali stated, laying herself back down because she was exhausted. Hutsat grinned to himself. He realized why Bali put so much space between them.

"How cute. She doesn't want the little slave to be scarred for life if we happened to get a little wild. She could always just send the child out to sleep with the horses. Hmm, I should suggest that." Hutsat thought to himself amused. Of course, he wouldn't force himself on Bali. She was a goddess graced with the will of Ra. There was no way he would want to anger any of the gods. Not to mention that the mission would just be awkward from then on out. Hutsat went out of the tent to set up a ward to make the campsite invisible to passerby. If a message came from his people, the hawks and falcons were trained to see past the barrier.

Hutsat sat himself down and began the spell.

Bali, who strangely couldn't fall back asleep after Hutsat had woken her up, stood and stretched.

"Maybe if I walk around a little I'll get tired enough to fall back asleep. Boy, I miss having the palace to look at in times like this." Bali thought, a gaping yawn stretching her mouth wide. Just the yawn seemed to tire her out more, but Bali knew better than to believe a simple yawn would set her to the path of sleep.

Bali walked out into the blazing sun and shielded her eyes. She stood and watched Hutsat place the wards. She could tell when magic was around now, because she had been hanging around Atem, Mana and Mahad to get to know it. There was a strange buzz that always accompanied magic, and it was so slight at this moment that it almost seemed like a hallucination.

"Having fun?" Hutsat asked of a sudden, making Bali shake her head and pay attention.

"Not yet. How about you?"

"The same."

"Wow."

"..."

"..."

"Go back to sleep Bali."

"Okay."

And that was the end of that.

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><p><strong>A lovely father-son moment in there. I wanted to make Seth's ascension to court a little different, so I did :3 Anyways, reviews are awesome and always welcome because I love them!<strong>

**I hope everyone is enjoying so far and I hope that you shall keep enjoying it in the future! **


	13. Syria at Last!

**Hey everyone, I'm back and this time I'm pretty excited! **

**I don't own anything YGO! related, or the ancient civilizations in which this story is involved. **

**FUN FACT!: Airheadninja's favorite movie is The Mummy. Her second favorite? Any of the Indiana Jones movies (the trilogy is just AMAZING!).**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Syria was in their sights, but it was now the time to be cautious more than ever. There was a chance that the army could discover them, and that would be catastrophic to the operation they were carrying out.<p>

"Hutsat, do we know the exact location of every camp out?" Bali asked as they saddled up for their final ride together. they would split up soon, so Bali could swing to the north and enter the capitol from that direction, another distracting factor for her cover. Hutsat would ride under a disguise to the capitol.

"Relatively." He answered, and swung onto his horse without much trouble. Bit however, decided to be mean at that very moment and walk only two steps forward as Bali began to jump herself up. Despite Bit's attempt to make her look stupid, Bali had held on to him in a desperate grab. He murmured while Bali got on properly with a grin.

"I know you well enough by now, Bit. Don't you dare try it again." Bali warned, and Hutsat shook his head in amusement. Bali pulled Abigail on, and once she was situated, the two horses sped off into the desert night.

The ride went slow, and Bali couldn't stand it. They were going as fast as possible, but it still seemed like the desert would swallow them up.

That is, until it came time for them to split up. Then, everything came so fast that Bali almost forgot what she was supposed to be doing. Hutsat had waved her off onto another path while he went in the other direction. She waved back quickly and moved on.

"I hope this plan works." Bali thought, and pushed on with her thoughts when she realized that there was no Ra there to answer her.

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><p>Atem was asleep at the campground they had made for the night. He lay in his tent grumbling and shivering, despite having blankets to ward off the cold of the desert night. This time, his dream had more to it.<p>

"Prince Atem, listen to what I say to you now." Osiris appeared in the void, and Atem had no choice but to listen, for he couldn't move.

"You are destined to save this land alongside the daughter of Ra. By war's end, you will realize your fate. I cannot visit your dreams any longer, so my son shall take my place soon enough. I promise to you that your father has a place in the afterlife along with me and his predecessors." Osiris spoke, his roar echoing throughout the void and making Atem stare in awe. As Osiris disappeared, another figure came in his place. Horus.

"Young Prince, you have more to accomplish in your lifetime than those before you. As the son of Osiris and Isis, I promise to guide you as best as I can until this war ends." Horus graciously announced, and Atem widened his eyes. The gods themselves were entering this war, something that hadn't been done since the dawn of time.

"Ra gave the gods a specific suggestion that we help to guide you. You must understand that you must protect yourselves. I believe you must wake up soon, and I'll be waiting for you to return to your dreams." Horus explained, seeing that Atem was curious as to why the gods were daring to enter the conflict.

Atem woke up and rubbed the sweat off of his face. He couldn't believe what he had just dreamed. Horus was to guide him. Horus! And Bali had Ra to guide her, the greatest of all gods!

"Perhaps we can win this war after all." Atem mumbled, and stretched his worries away. Getting dressed and eating his share of rations, he stepped outside to observe the packing up of the camp.

"Prince Atem, are you all right? You look more tired than when you went to sleep last night." Karim pointed out, walking up from his own tent nearby. Atem nodded.

"I am fine. My dreams were good. Egypt is very fortunate to have what it has." Atem stated, and Karim nodded slowly, wondering where the comment had come from. In the next half hour, the army was ready to move again, and Atem rode out front in his chariot. Atem turned for a moment to yell: "Move Out!"

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><p>Bali was finally in Syria. It was mountainous and rocky where she was at that point, but from what Hutsat had instructed, that meant she was close to the capitol.<p>

"Abigail, are you okay?" Bali asked as they stopped to give Bit a break. There was a brook trundling by and Bali could see the remnants of campfires from past nights. Bit went straight to the brook to drink his fill, and Abigail nodded her head with a docile smile. The two went upstream of Bit and filled the canteens with water, and took drinks themselves.

"I can't wait to have a bath." Bali groaned, her hair already stringy and gross. She kept it up in a bun so no one would realize it was so asty, even though no one would really care in this time. Poor people, for the most part, didn't take baths for most of their lives. Abigail giggled and splashed Bali playfully with water. Bali sat with an incredulous look and splashed her back. A splash war continued, and didn't stop until Bit walked over and caught Bali's sleeve with his teeth, making her stop. Bali glanced at him and saw the annoyed look in his eyes.

"Bit, you're no fun at all." Bali scolded, but picked herself up and wiped water from her face. She looked down to the slave girl.

"That was refreshing, wasn't it?" Bali asked with a smile, hoisting herself up onto Bit (who impatiently sat whining) and pulling the small girl up.

"Yes, it was." She answered simply, and Bali kicked Bit's rear into gear and they were on the road again. It took two more hours to get to the capitol, and though it wasn't nearly as grand as Thebes and Luxor, it was notably pleasant looking and busy. The sprawling palace there again had nothing on Egypt, but obviously held the wealth. Bali slowed Bit down so they could look around at the people and shops.

"For a country going to war, they don't look all that miserable." Bali noted, and watched as people began to stare at her. Bali cast her eyes to the sky and tried to ignore the stares.

"I _am_ wearing my clothes from home. I'd stare to if my civilization didn't have women wearing pants." Bali defended their stares, but it was still unnerving. Bali turned onto a busy road that led to the palace gates. The safe house that had been scouted out and bought was near the palace walls. Bali watched for any of the men from her informant groupies.

"Abigail, watch for anyone from the informant squad. He should be flagging us down soon." Bali instructed, and Abigail promptly started looking closely for anyone she recognized. Bali was well along the road, and was getting frustrated because soon enough she would have to double back from the palace gates. In a brief moment of frustration, Bali looked up from her search, and saw something wheeling in the sky. Bali focused her eyes on it and saw that it was a falcon. It was staying in the same place instead of moving around like a normal hunter, so Bali knew that she had found her signal.

Bali followed the falcon down a slim, emptier road that led down to the edge of town, and was one street away from the palace walls. Bali watched a man wave the falcon down and spread his arms in welcome.

"Bali, long time no see! Welcome to the home of Makat." he greeted, and Bali recognized Hutsat's disguise name.

"Is he home?" Bali asked, dismounting and letting her disguised colleague take Bit to the small nearby stable crammed in between two buildings. Bit was too tired to protest, which Bali was glad for.

"Not now, but he shall be here by day's end. Come inside, and I'll tell you of what is happening of late." he gestured to the door, and all three went in while the falcon flew to the stable to perch himself on the roof. After the door was closed, they went into an enclosed room lit by candles and sat down in wooden chairs.

"What's the news, Jihan?" Bali inquired, sending Abigail off to settle their belongings into their room. Jihan grinned.

"You remembered my name! Anyways, it looks like everyone knows about the war, but isn't particularly bothered by it. I'm sure you noticed while riding through the streets. We haven't been here long so we can't say much, but I'd bet that we'll have to change to our second strategy. We'll have more details once the Captain is here to analyze the situation." Jihan explained grimly, and Bali nodded. She was saddened to hear that the people of Syria weren't engaged like the people of Egypt. Even if they were the enemy, shouldn't they care a little more?

"You should check out the room I saved for you, it has a pretty good view of the palace." Jihan suggested lightly, shrugging his shoulders because there was nothing else to do except watch for Hutsat.

"I'm sure it does. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to have Abigail draw up a bath." she excused herself and went back into the house to find her room. She assumed it would be facing towards the palace, so it wasn't hard to find.

"Abigail, go get a bath ready. After I'm in, go get some food ready for the both of us. If the food is ready before I get out, eat quickly and take care of Bit." Bali commanded, and the slave girl jumped from her position to do her tasks. Bali sighed.

"I can take off the pants now. Riding around in anything else would have been torturous." Bali mumbled, feeling strange in the article of clothing after having not worn them for awhile. Bali remembered what she told her maids about her outfit when getting ready to leave.

"I couldn't tell them the truth, I mean seriously! They'd just laugh, and I can't have that!" Bali reasoned with herself, digging out the robe that was to be tied around her shoulder and fastened with a belt. It was better than poor, but definitely not anything a noble or royal would wear.

"I hope I remember what Mery and Su taught me before I left. Putting this thing on is supposed to be surprisingly difficult." Bali thought, imagining herself screwing up tremendously and making herself look stupid.

"Lady Bali, the bath is ready." Abigail chirped from the doorway, and Bali looked up confused.

"Already? That was fast." Bali noted, for she had expected it to take a little while because Abigail was so small and had to fill the tub herself. Jihan appeared behind her.

"I figured you would want a bath, so I got a tub ready before you got here. All your little slave had to do was heat it up with a fire." Jihan explained, and Bali thanked him and went on her way to wash up. Abigail traveled to the kitchen to complete her second job. Bali made sure the door was locked and that there was no chance of anyone peeking before she undressed. Folding up her clothes neatly and setting them on the ground, Bali faced the steaming tub with a wide grin.

"I have been waiting for you." She whispered, easing herself in. By looking at the tub, she had figured out that the fire heating the tub was underground.

"Pretty clever, I have to admit." Bali commented, before sinking down into relaxation.

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><p>Atem wished he could know if Bali was safe. Hers was the riskiest job of the whole war, and he didn't want her to get hurt and hate Egypt even more. Even if he knew she didn't really mean what she said, he didn't want to take that risk. He kept thinking of why he didn't stop her from going. He could have stopped her easily, be it by force or by Royal command. But he hadn't been able to.<p>

"Prince Atem, we have received a message from the Syrian general!" Karim shouted, bringing over the scroll for the prince to read.

"We are waiting patiently for your arrival beyond the border. We have intercepted one of your spies, and are currently dealing with him and his group. We'll see how we can negotiate once you get here, if you don't turn tail like the cowards you are!" Atem read, and his eyes widened. He prayed that the spy captured was neither Bali nor Hutsat. He crumpled the paper up in anger and threw it to the ground. Karim gave the paper nervous glances.

"We need to move faster now that we've had contact. They have one of our spies and are willing to negotiate. I don't know if it is a trap, but Lady Bali is in danger all the same!" Atem snapped, and Karim went around to all of the captains to warn of the threat and to give the order to go double time. Atem led with a fiery rage now.

"I will never forgive you if you've taken her!" Atem seethed in his mind, and his calmer side that was sad had another thought.

"I would never forgive myself, either."

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><p><strong>Bali's in trouble, and she doesn't know it. This chapter was kinda filler, but the next is going to be pretty active. <strong>

**Please Please PLEASE review! I want to know what you people think and you haven't been reviewing lately! I'll update no matter what happens, but I still need to know so I can keep up my 'happy' drive! **

**I hope you keep reading and enjoying in the future! I love this story and think about it and research for it. I hope that it is worth my trouble! **


	14. Riches to Rags and Back Again

**Hey everyone, I'm updating unusually early because I got quite a few requests to do so. Though I was looking for more insight on the reviews than sheer number of reviews, I got the message and am glad to see that this story is being read by so many wonderful people! **

**As for anonymous reviewers, I'm sorry the option was disabled. I never really noticed until a little bit before I updated with the last chapter ^^; I'm glad you guys are reviewing too, even if I have no clue as to who you are! You guys are the reviewing ninjas!**

**Anyways, this chapter has a little bit of imagination attached to it, and these scenes may cause some gory images to come to mind. But, war is war, and it's bound to be bloody.**

**I don't own anything YGO! or the ancient civilizations. **

**FUN FACT!: Ramses II destroyed Syria on accident because he thought they were belligerent. Oops. Ramses II also is famous for being quite the ladies man, having over 50 wives and 200 children!**

**ENJOY THE CHAPTER I HAVE SLAVED AWAY ON!**

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><p>Bali was blissfully unaware that palace guards were about to get a message saying that they should scour the city and find the Egyptian spies. Bali was asleep, finding sleep easily as the evening came, because she had ridden all of the last night and had stayed awake through the day. Abigail was curled up in her corner of the room, having just had a good meal and a bath herself.<p>

Jihan was still wide awake because he was worried.

"Captain Hutsat should be here already. Could we be compromised?" He muttered, and called his falcon to him with a small whistle. He wrote a small message and attached it to the falcon's leg and sent him off.

"You had better make it to the others, Er!" Jihan prayed, sending his feathered friend with his will. Jihan knew he could have just made a fatal mistake by sending the hawk and giving away their position, but the situation called for it.

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><p>Captain Hutsat's luck had run out when he separated himself from Bali. All was going well, and he was about to sneak past the enemy camp into Syria and go on with the plan. A snowball effect happened upon him from the moment he entered that rocky forest trail.<p>

He had to go about the trail slowly, so his horse wouldn't make too much noise or hurt itself. Unfortunately, Hutsat's horse was still disoriented and tired enough to slip and fall. Hutsat had his leg crushed by the weight of the falling horse, and the horse whinnied in pain, not able to get up for it had broken its leg from a twist while stepping on a smooth rock. Hutsat, as much as he hated to do it, put down his steed with a slash to the throat to silence the creature and to end its pain.

Hutsat dragged himself into the bushes and tried to keep hidden so he could survey the damage done to his leg. It didn't look very good at all, and there was blood seeping out of a large cut from sliding against the root-laden ground.

Things got worse when Hutsat heard hurried voices heading in his direction. He sat trying to conceal himself as much as possible by breathing lightly and keeping still. It was apparent that they found the body of his fallen horse, but silence came afterward and Hutsat silently took out his long knife. If a confrontation was coming, he would fight as long as he could. Lights came closer, illuminating the faces of the men following his trail of blood. Hutsat cursed his fate as the four looked slowly to the bushes and two of them pulled the concealing canopy away. All four grinned.

"Another Egyptian spy? I guess they think that we're dumb enough to let them behind our lines. How insulting. So spy, what are you going to do now? We have fifteen of your friends, and we're getting a little tired of your antics." Their leader sneered, reaching for Hutsat to grasp his collar. It was a bad mistake on his part, because Hutsat had taken that chance to lurch with his long knife and take off his hand. Blood leaked from the wound and the man yowled and the three others beat Hutsat senseless, stabbing him several times with their spears, but in places they knew wouldn't be fatal.

Hutsat had woken up while being dragged to the enemy camp, and the thing he saw made his stomach lurch. All of his men, except for Jihan and Bali, dead with their bodies stuck up on poles. Their bodies ranged from recently dead to half decomposed. They were made examples of, and it was his faulty plan that had done it. The only thing he was glad for was the lack of a certain female's body. His period of consciousness didn't last long however, as one of his captors realized he was awake and kicked him in the head. Hutsat went into darkness once more.

And now Hutsat sat, beaten bloody and half dead against a pole in the middle of the campground. Whenever someone came around, they would spit on him and curse his country. Hutsat had been interrogated several times, but refused to tell them anything. He had been beaten for his insolence, and he had a feeling that it wouldn't be over. He stared and thought about all that had gone wrong, and worried about his friends and comrades whose fates he knew not of.

"I hope Bali made it to the safe house. Jihan is probably there waiting there with a nervous twitch. I guess he's going to be the new leader after this, if he gets out alive." Hutsat figured in his head, and gave out a small laugh for himself at the thought of Jihan being leader. It came out more as a pitiful cough, but the two men who had just walked up did not find it amusing.

"What's so funny, dog?"

"You'll have to tell us. Luckily, you have plenty of time right now. We intercepted a hawk all of the way back towards the capitol. You Egyptians think you're so smart, but your friends are about to be extinguished. Now that your plan has failed, why don't you tell us everything you know that has been passed on already?" The man interrogated, kicking dirt into Hutsat's face and making it hard to breathe for him. Hutsat gave out another small chuckle.

"Why don't you ask my friends in the army? I'm sure they'll treat you well." Hutsat croaked, looking up at the two Syrian officers with a spiteful smile. They were angered, and Hutsat was kicked multiple times. Hutsat only grunted in pain, never showing weakness. Before the men could do anything more, they were joined by a third. This man was gripping his stump wrapped in bandages and grinning maliciously. The two men turned to see who had intruded, and stepped back in realization. Hutsat glared murderously. The man had his precious long knife, and he had a feeling he knew what was about to happen.

As the man came up and towered over Hutsat, there were no words or sounds exchanged.

But after a few moments, Hutsat's scream of pain echoed throughout the entire camp.

* * *

><p>Bali was woken up by Jihan a couple of hours after he had sent off Er. Soldiers had lined the streets and were checking everywhere for "Egyptian heathens" and Jihan had to get Bali out of the house and somewhere safe. He had been told by Captain Hutsat to protect her at all costs because the Royal Family willed it. Jihan could see in his leader's eyes that that was not the only reason he wanted Lady Bali protected, but had no time to press the issue.<p>

"Abigail, just leave the clothing and all of that. Get Bit ready while I strap on my quiver and string my bow!" Bali ordered, working through her packs to get out her weapons. Abigail rushed outside, milling over the emergency at hand. Bali and Jihan faced each other once Bali was done with her preparations.

"I'll stall them here, comrade. You need to get as far away as possible. Make your way back to the palace." Jihan told her, and Bali immediately protested.

"I can't leave you here, they'll kill you! We'll fight together!" Bali argued, but Jihan smiled wistfully.

"I won't be caught so easily. Our whole band of informants were reformed thieves, saved by Hutsat and the court of Akhnemkhanen. I will distract them long enough. Now go!" Jihan ordered, and Bali ran and waved her hand back.

"Lady Bali, Bit is ready!" Abigail called, and Bali practically leaped onto Bit's back. Abigail was aboard quickly and off they raced, taking a back road out of the city.

"My comrade..." Bali whispered, willing Bit to go faster. Thankfully, Bit sensed that the situation was dire, and seemed to have boundless energy.

Bali was smacked on the back by Abigail, and Bali turned to see what was wrong. Bali's eyes widened.

They had already caught up with her, and the cavalry was gaining on them. Bali had to make a split decision.

"Abigail, take the reins! Bit, behave and be wise!" Bali instructed, and strategically placed Abigail in front of her while turning herself around. Bali took our her bow and drew an arrow.

"Here's for you, comrade." Bali murmured, before releasing her Nubian- made arrow.

* * *

><p>Atem couldn't stand it. Everything was falling apart, and their spies were now missing, and allegedly in Syria's hands. His troops had to stop for a break from the double time marching they had done. Atem was impatient because he wanted-no <strong>needed<strong> to know that Bali was safe.

Atem had a feeling that they were close to where they were supposed to meet up with Syria, as the scout had come back with another message and an arrow in his shoulder. The note had been one of impatience.

"Dammit! Karim, are they ready yet? We do not have time to lose!" Atem snapped, and everyone around him looked in awe. Atem was known for having a fair temper, and his impatience was somewhat unprecedented.

"Prince Atem, you must keep calm! The army must be fit to fight in case we must! Give them five minutes more, and we shall set out." Karim answered, coming from a meeting with the captains. Atem growled, crossed his arms and looked away. Karim dared to prod him more.

"My prince?"

"What is it?"

"Why are you so anxious? Surely it is not just Hutsat's welfare that worries you." Karim pointed out, and Atem glanced at him and sighed, leaning on the side of his chariot tiredly.

"She's there, Karim. I should have stopped her, and yet I let her go. It's all my fault." Atem released and Karim's eyes widened at the amount of sadness in the prince's voice.

"Then why did you let her go?" The now age-old question was said again, and Atem smiled a little in frustration.

"I've been asking that of myself this whole time. I guess I've just been ignoring the answer all this time, but..."

"But what?" Atem looked with an almost relieved smile that was still tinged with sadness.

"I love her."

* * *

><p>Bali was growing desperate as night began to fall and her arrows began to run low. Bit was now exhausted, and their pursuers had been joined by more and more. Bali had picked off quite a few of them, but she knew she couldn't last for long.<p>

"Lady Bali!" Abigail screeched, and Bali turned, only to be knocked off of Bit by a low hanging heavy tree branch. Bali watched her vision etch with black as Bit and Abigail got farther and farther away. Two horsemen continued after her and the rest stopped around Bali.

"We finally got you, 'Lady Bali.'" One of them mocked, and Bali growled before receiving a blow to the head to knock her out.

Bali woke up cold and wet and hurting. Her head was bandaged up but pounding furiously while chains were shackled around her ankles and wrists.

"I am definitely not okay. Oh, Abigail, please be all right." Bali groaned, looking about the dank atmosphere with disgust. A rat turned to look at her from a corner of her somewhat large cell and seemed to make fun of her by easily slipping through the bars. Bali glared and tried the chains, and they held strong to her test. Bali gave up and brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. It was cold in this dungeon.

"From riches to rags. Oh, why can't I hear Ra anymore? Is it because I'm not in Egypt anymore?" Bali wondered, almost missing the always helpful Ra. Bali also wondered how long she had been unconscious and in the cell, as well as what time of day it was and how the war was going. They were all questions that plagued her because she couldn't answer them, and they swirled around uncontrollably. Bali was going to settle herself into sleep to ward off some of her pain when a loud squeak of metal came from close by and light flooded the hallway. Low voices echoed throughout the walls and Bali kept her eyes just above her knees so she could see what was going on. She listened.

"Lady Bali? I've never heard of any such person. Is she important?" One man asked, and his voice held intelligence and curiosity.

"Yes, my lord. One of the spies captures said she is a supposed goddess sent by Ra. But that's all just folly if you ask me."

"We shall see. We definitely have something to hold over their heads now, don't we?" The smoother voice answered curtly, and Bali braced herself for what came next. The two men came up to the cell and their torch shone brightly around them. One was dressed handsomely with jewels and silk, while the other was rough looking and plainly clothed in a uniform. Bali didn't move except for bringing her head up to glare into their eyes. The rich lord's eyes widened.

"How could you imprison such a beautiful woman and treat her so foully? She shall come with me and I shall make sure she's treated like she should." The young man proclaimed, and the uniformed man nearly stumbled from his stance in surprise. Bali even straightened out in surprise.

"But my prince, she is a prisoner of war! We can't let the Egyptians think that we've gone soft!" The man yelled coarsely, but the prince silenced him with a glare.

"Do as I say, or you shall be hanged!" The prince threatened, and the prison captain scrambled with his keys and rushed over to unlock the cell door and release Bali from her shackles. The prince meanwhile stood her up and took a good hold of her hands.

"Lady Bali, on behalf of my entire guard, I apologize for the way you have been treated. I am Prince Mindana, but you may just call me Min. Please come with me to get cleaned up." The Prince suggested kindly, looking into Bali's eyes with sincerity. Bali was taken aback for a moment, but her fiery personality came back to her.

"You're the one trying to hurt my friends! My comrades are dead because of you! Leave me alone to die!" Bali defied, grabbing her hands back and scooting away from the prince, who had frowned at her reaction.

"Trust me when I say I know how you are hurting. Please come with me and I will explain. If I know you already, you will be curious enough to hear what I have to say." Min lured, but Bali didn't bite.

"Well then you're wrong! Go, and try to fight! But know this; your armies will fail!" Bali warned, and Min grabbed her left hand and held it in both of his tightly.

"Please... I cannot say more, but come with me. I don't wish to anger you." Min told her quietly, glancing about at the prison captain who stood guard at the entrance to the cell. Bali recalculated and decided it was in her best interest to go with Min.

"And from rags to riches. That was a quick turnaround." Bali thought, while she was led out of the dungeon to a stairwell. The stairs spiraled up until a heavy iron door opened to the outside. It was bright and sunny, but still chilly. Bali assumed it was morning. The palace went by quickly, and Bali was hurting too much to pay attention.

"Here is a washroom. The maids will help you clean up and we shall meet in my quarters so I can explain like I promised." Min directed, shoving her in a room once he stopped. Bali stood frozen as about a dozen maids were standing there with sunny smiles to match the weather, each one ready to serve. And there were _twelve _of them.

"That's a little excessive." Bali criticized in her mind, but she was pulled gently towards a tub and scrubbed furiously until she was clean again. Her bandages were changed, and a cooling salve was added to help heal the wound. Not to mention it obliterated the pain. The maids all chirped as they put different choices of clothing in front of her for Bali to choose. Bali held up her hands and shook her head.

"I'm no good with fashion. Choose one you think will fit." Bali instructed them, and they all looked at each other, first in wonder, then in joy.

"Apparently they don't get that a lot." Bali thought as the maids gathered themselves around the clothing, meanwhile looking back at Bali, who sat uncomfortably naked in the cold air.

"How about this one? It matches your eyes!" The lead maid suggested, and all of the girls had obviously voted on the choice, so Bali nodded and let them do as they needed. The wrap around dress was decorated with green beads and emeralds, matching Bali's eyes **(if I made her eyes another color previously... Just go with it, her eyes are green now! You hear me? GREEN!)** perfectly. A couple of accessories were put on her wrists and off she went, led by the head maid to Min's room. Their feet were bare (apparently because they were women) and made slapping sounds against the cold marble floor.

"Prince Mindana, she's here and ready!" The maid called, and left Bali standing there at the door, giggling as she raced away. Bali watched her go until Min opened the door. He looked her up and down and smiled.

"Much better than your earlier state. Now, I believe we have some things to discuss." Min got straight to the point, and offered Bali a seat on a cushion laden chair. Bali sat and accepted a cup of light wine.

"This had better be good." Bali thought, her seriousness back to govern her mind. She prayed that nothing too drastic had happened yet on the Egypt-Syria border.

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><p><strong>Atem finally came to terms with everything! YAAAAY! Anyways, they're all in some trouble and we'll have a lovely memorial for all of the thieves later. <strong>

**Prince Mindana is going to be here for a little bit, but you'll see why soon!**

**Thanks for reviewing everybody, and I hope you continue to do so! Keep reading, keep loving, and have a wonderful day!**


	15. To Stop a War!

**Hello everyone, I'm back with another great episode of An Historic Episode! **

**The war is raging, and things are going to get rough. **

**I don't own YGO! or anything that obviously isn't mine. **

**FUN FACT!: My favorite Pharaoh is Seti the First, of the nineteenth dynasty. He brought Egypt's glory back after failures from the past Pharaohs. He is the father of Ramses the Second, or Ramses the Great. In fact, Seti made Ramses run two miles before breakfast every day. His tomb is still well preserved and has a trap pit for tomb robbers. Archaeologists can tell from the paintings and stories in his tomb that he was a well loved Pharaoh, and that he was praised for all his wonderful deeds!**

**As for the last FUN FACT!, I got a review asking if it was true. And yes, it is true. Ramses the Great had over 50 wives and over 200 children. Where he found time for all of it, I have no idea.**

**Enjoy, and thanks for reading and reviewing!**

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><p>"I am the crown prince of Syria, it is true. My father is a tyrannical ruler, however, and has put me under house arrest here at the palace. News of the upcoming war has me worried." Min explained, and Bali leaned forward in concern.<p>

"What news?" Bali asked. She hadn't heard of proceedings at all since she left Hutsat. Min looked to the side.

"According to one of my own loyal followers, 16 Egyptian spies were caught at the border. A seventeenth was caught in the city below, but he was slain by an arrow before we could get any information." Min answered, and Bali felt cold. Everything seemed to disappear around her and she held her head.

"Jihan is dead, and everyone else is captured..." She muttered, and Min looked ashamed.

"All but one of the spies at the border is still alive." Min told her, and Bali snapped. She leaped forward and grabbed the collar of his robe, dragging him up in a fury of rage.

"THEY WERE LIKE FAMILY TO EACH OTHER! YOU BASTARDS JUST GOT RID OF THE FIRST REAL COMRADES I'VE EVER HAD!" Bali screamed, and Min could only watch in fear and cry out in pain as Bali punched him repeatedly in the face. Blood spurted from his mouth and nose, but eventually her rage began to die and it was replaced with sorrow. Her blows got weaker and soon she had dropped the Syrian prince and began sobbing on the ground.

"Dammit, I shouldn't be crying..." She muttered, her form crouched over and her face hiding itself from anyone's view. The prince looked up from wiping the blood away, grunting as bruises started to appear.

"You are lucky that I know that that was an outcry of sadness. I could have you killed, you know." Min warned irritated, but regretted it when Bali looked up at him again with anger.

"You shut up! I will curse this place! Every day that I live, I will curse everything that has to do with this place!"

"And how will you do that? Oh right, you're a goddess. But aren't you a little out-of-bounds for your threat to take effect?... Lady Bali, I am sorry for prodding you so much. I truly do not support this war with Egypt, though it is for me that this war is waged." Min sighed defeated, and Bali sat upright, wiping away tears and drips of Min's blood.

"What? I thought your father-"

"It is my father! He is tired of always bowing down to trade policies of the Egyptians, even though they are right and fair in almost every way. Even when your Pharaoh reasonably tried to fix the problem, the old fool wouldn't listen! He believes that Syria was meant to be better, and that I needed a powerful empire to rule over. I do not want an empire, I want Syria to continue its business like it always has. You understand, yes?" Min exploded, his anger for his father spilling forth in a waterfall. Bali listened, and had by then calmed herself. She nodded.

"Min, we have to go stop the war before any real bloodshed happens. I don't care if your father is restricting you here, we're going to sneak you out. And you'd better gear up because you're about to be king." Bali ordered, standing and staring out the window.

"You are serious? You are by far the strangest woman I have ever met!" Min exclaimed, but he did so with a smile. Bali smiled back but went back to staring as a memory popped up. She let out a small laugh.

"I have a friend at home who said the exact same thing to me." Bali said, making Min's head tilt in wonder.

***FLASHBACK!***

Bali and Atem had finally gotten a little time to spend between their training periods. They were just walking and talking throughout the grounds of the palace.

"I bet Priest Seth was jealous that you could shoot the bow so well." Atem joked, walking behind Bali at a comfortable pace. Bali snickered and agreed.

"He did turn a bright shade of green. I just have had experience with a bow before, that's all." Bali shrugged it off, but Atem disagreed.

"I heard that you shot the bull's eye from beyond our record distance! That's just like a Nubian!" Atem praised, and again Bali shrugged it off.

"All it really takes is good eyesight- Whoa!" Bali gasped, as a long brown-black snake slithered into view. It bared its fangs and stared at Bali, who stared right back.

"Bali, that's an Egyptian Asp! Get away!" Atem warned, but was too late. Bali had lifted her foot, and kicked the creature so far that Atem wondered if the snake ever really came down from the sky. He began to laugh.

"You just... _kicked_ it like it was nothing! You are by far the strangest woman I have ever met!" Atem laughed, and Bali stormed off, leaving Atem stumbling behind, making fun of her courageousness.

***Flash-Forward!***

"Oh Atem, I hope you're still safe by the time I get there. I need to talk to you or else I'm going to go insane." Bali thought, the memory she just had a rather fond one of hers.

Bali and Min spent the rest of the day gathering a party swearing absolute loyalty to the Prince and getting supplies ready. Luckily for them, basically every troop in the palace was loyal to Prince Mindana. Any opposed were thrown in the dungeons.

"Everything's going to come down to this." Bali thought nervously, laying down in her room to sleep for a couple of hours.

* * *

><p>Atem and his giant slice of the army arrived at the border, finally easing the Prince's impatience. They camped strategically where they could see Syria's camp, but was well enough away. Atem hadn't believed his eyes at first.<p>

"All of them but Bali, thank the gods!" Atem thought thankfully, though the sight of the informant team haunted his thoughts still.

"Prince Atem! King Marudna has requested an unarmed meeting in the land between the two camps! You may only bring one guard!" A scout reported, having received another message already.

"Karim, take care of the camp while I'm gone. Fetch Guit and he shall be my guard." Atem commanded, and his wishes were carried out swiftly. Guit was a regular horseman with extraordinary talent. He stayed low in ranks because he chose to. Atem, however, had made friends with his son, Sethi.

They set out, and met the King of Syria as promised, he with only one guard. The King grinned.

"So, all they sent me was the Prince, eh? Where's your father, too scared to come himself?" King Marudna mocked, and Atem glared.

"I am here because I am about to take the throne, and must prove myself to the gods!" He growled, and the King nodded his head.

"I see. So the old Pharaoh is dying, is he? Anyways, I have someone back at my camp. A spy named Hutsat, I believe. Don't worry, he's refused to tell us anything, but he's in pretty bad shape. What would you give to me in return for giving him back?" King Marudna asked, and Atem made the decision he knew was right, and that Hutsat would endorse it.

"Nothing. If he is suffering as you say he is, he will be not much use to us once he comes back. And since you and your men are so intelligent, he will have nothing to tell us about your camp." Atem replied, his voice low with hatred.

"A very good answer for such a young and inexperienced whelp. I shall keep him alive, for now. I'll try to find something else of value to bargain off instead." King Marudna turned to leave.

"Wait! What would you want in return, Marudna?" Atem growled, and the King grinned widely with craze.

"A little change with the borders." He said, and walked away laughing. Atem stood stunned, but Guit tapped him on the shoulder.

"We must return, or I fear we shall be open to attack." He stated urgently, and Atem nodded absent-minded.

They got back to the camp and hunkered down for the night, and all captains, Karim and Atem sat up late into the night discussing what they would do. They all left to go to sleep with only small ideas that seemed to have little hope. No one knew where Lady Bali was, for King Marudna would have offered her up as bait instead of Hutsat. Atem was grateful for that fact, but that didn't stop him from worrying.

"Prince Atem!" Karim called over before Atem retired to his tent. Atem looked over slowly. Karim gave a confident nod.

"We'll find her. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she found us instead." He told Atem, and Atem smiled weakly.

"Yes... I suppose there is truth to that statement." Atem replied, and went into his tent, thinking about the encouragement.

"I need to talk to you Bali. I'm going insane without you." He thought to himself, and readied himself for sleep.

* * *

><p>Bali and Min were determined to get to the border that day, at least by late morning. With their small travelling party riding horses, it wouldn't take long, for they could ride freely through and Min knew shortcuts. Bali was thinking of her stubborn and beloved horse Bit when a man appeared by the door to her room.<p>

"Lady Bali, we have found your horse, but unfortunately there was no sign of the little girl. The guards chasing you lost sight of them and he was found galloping towards the palace. Now he's causing trouble in the stables. Perhaps you can calm him down!" The man informed quickly, and Bali buttoned her pack, threw onto her back, grabbed her quiver and bow and ran off, finally wearing sandals again.

When they arrived, there was a group of men surrounding the maddened horse. Bit was thrashing about angrily, lashing his legs out to get the men out of the way. Bali pushed them aside and faced her old overprotective horse.

"BIT! I'm right here, stop it!" Bali ordered, and Bit's ears pricked up and he settled himself down and gave himself a good look at her. He walked over, and Bali was going to hold her hands out to nuzzle him, until he lurched forward in a bite. Bali dodged, much to her amusement.

"Just because I haven't seen you for a couple of days doesn't mean I've gotten soft, you old coot." Bali said, and Bit turned away with a snort. Bali took a carrot out of her pocket and fed it to him, which he begrudgingly ate. The men around her stood amazed at her control over the horse.

"Are you ready Lady Bali?" Min asked, coming up from behind on his own horse. Bali swept herself up onto Bit and nodded grimly. Stopping a war was going to be difficult, but perhaps since they were coming up from behind, they could really stop King Marudna. Bali promised she would talk with the Egyptian side of everything in the peacekeeping.

But despite any nervousness, off the group went, racing to get to the front lines before anything drastic happened.

Arriving at the border didn't take long at all, and soon they were hiding in hills overlooking the main camp, where the king was. In the distance beyond that, Bali pointed out the Egyptian army.

"I have to get there somehow. They know me, and they need to know our plan in case they might want to try something themselves." Bali said, but Min shook his head.

"It is too risky to try and get down there without being spotted." He answered, but Bali snorted.

"Whatever, I'm used to lines like that. I'm not a pure damsel, I've killed people in situations like this. I'll go alone. Even if I'm captured, they'll probably just try to bargain me off. Besides," Bali said, standing and brushing herself off. Min watched her with widened eyes.

"I'll be in my home territory if they take me into their camp." She revealed smirking, and started her way down the hill, keeping behind cliffs and rock edges to hide at least a little.

"You're crazy!" Min yelled after her, but she raised her hand in farewell. Bali looked down quickly and grinned.

"Because once I'm back in Egypt, even if I'm only slightly past the border, Ra will be back." Bali whispered, and continued on her way.

Bali was good at being sneaky, even when on a sand dune. She was light and therefore her footsteps were quiet. She had learned from her teacher's husband the fine art of going about things quietly and covertly.

"Remind me to thank him again once I get back home." Bali noted, avoiding a loose rock so she wouldn't kick it and make noise. She was close enough to the camp that she might be discovered by scouting parties.

Bali was doing fine, and was almost to a spot where she could basically run like hell for the Egyptian camp and make it without getting shot. But of course, she heard voices approach, and they were definitely not speaking Egyptian.

"Dammit. Where can I hide?" Bali whispered, and looked around quickly for a solution. Quite a few presented themselves to her. That being the trees. Bali took a risk, but she scrambled over to the beginnings of the forest. She clamored up one of the trees hurriedly, making sure the tree had lots of foliage to hide her. She made it up to a good branch where she could see but not be seen. Bali silently stringed her bow and drew an arrow, just in case. The voices were coming from two men with baskets full of miscellaneous roots, berries and mushrooms. Bali thought about killing them, but got a better idea. An extremely dangerous one, and one that diverted from her original one completely. But Bali decided that drastic measures had to be taken, and so, she had to take a chance. She took off her sandals and hid them so the Syrians wouldn't be suspicious. She put her bow and arrow back, and cleared her throat.

"Help! Somebody help me!" She cried, trying to sound docile and afraid. The two men looked around, and Bali scooted herself out carefully.

"Please, I'm up here! Those Egyptian scoundrels saw that I had a Nubian bow and chased me here! Please, I need to get it to my father! I've been up here too afraid to come down for days!" She called, and the men finally noticed her. And they bought it, thank the heavens.

"Don't worry, miss! You can jump and we'll both catch you!" the taller soldier called up, and his partner nodded. Both looked up to the task, so Bali scooted out to where they were holding their arms out to catch her. She made it look like she was anxious, gripping the branches of the tree unsure.

"It's okay, we promise to catch you!" They assured, and Bali nodded, and leaped from where she was. Sure enough, they caught her, and words of apology and gratefulness spilled from Bali's lips. She stuttered like she thought she ought to. Both of the soldiers scratched the backs of their heads in embarrassment.

"It was nothing. Hey, we can give you food and shelter for a night at the camp. You'll be safe from those Egyptian bastards." They told her, and she thanked them for their kindness. On the inside, Bali smirked.

"I love village idiots who are sent to war." She thought, and she felt even giddier as a voice chimed his own comment.

"Well played, kitten. I can help you now that you're back in Egypt!"

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><p><strong>Bali's being sneaky, and guess who's back in her head? An exciting conclusion will be coming up soon, and I hope you all read along more to see it!<strong>

**Just so all of you know, I will be leaving for Band Leadership Camp tomorrow for three days. I'll be really busy the whole of this next week, and the week after this I will be in regular ol' lovable band camp! So, I'll update as soon as possible, but it might be awhile until a new chapter comes up!**

**As always, please review and tell me what you think! ^_^**


	16. Not Again!

**It's in between camps, and I've managed to gather some time to write this for you, despite being tired from all of the activities!**

**So, I read the reviews, and you said that Min is like that dude from GX? Totally unintentional, I don't even watch or read GX or 5D's at all! I want to, but money is a little scarce right now. **

**FUN FACT! (This one happens to be completely random): If you didn't know already, Butterflies are cannibals. Yup. Not so pretty now, are they? Just kidding, it's just a funny little fact about them!**

**Anyways, read and enjoy this chapter because I could have taken a break instead of updating!**

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><p>Bali wanted to curse at the two soldiers for being so talkative. Her hand nearly raised itself to smack them both across the head for being so loud and oblivious to anything, but she stopped it just in time.<p>

"I'm sorry they're annoying you, Kitten. The camp is up ahead and you'll be rid of them." Ra apologized and Bali sighed.

"That's a relief. I just hope they don't figure me out before I can do anything. Keeping up my wall is tiring, and I get irritated when I'm tired." Bali growled, and Ra rolled his eyes.

"I'd say you're irritated a lot more than that. Either that or you're always tired."

"Shut up, I need to concentrate on my acting right now!" Bali scolded in her head, and the god went quiet.

One of the two morons turned to her with a huge grin.

"Stick with us for a second and we'll get you in and to somewhere safe." He assured, winking at her. She had the urge to roll her eyes, but smiled and nodded.

They walked up to the small entrance to the camp that was there for food gathering purposes. The guard there took a look at the food they had gathered and nodded approvingly. When he saw Bali however, his guard was raised and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Who is she?" He growled, and Bali pretended to be intimidated and frightened.

"Aw, she's just someone who got scared by those Egyptian bastards and was chased up a tree for her father's bow. Poor girl couldn't get back down because she was scared and stuck. We helped her down and figured we could give her some peace of mind by letting her stay a couple of nights." Idiot Two explained, and Bali nodded along with the story, making sure she looked into the guard's eyes so she wouldn't look like a liar. The guard thought for a second, and then relaxed.

"Is that so? I'm sorry to hear that they treated you so badly. You're safe in here." The guard told her kindly, and she smiled and thanked him. The two idiots cheered for their success. Bali followed the two inside the camp. As they went through, men stared at Bali, feasting their eyes on the appearance of a woman. Bali was grateful for her gender at this moment in time; she was underestimated because of it, and therefore she could sneak around much better than any man. She was shown around, told where the kitchens and latrines were, and where anyone of importance was.

"That over there," Idiot One pointed to a giant tent that looked extravagant.

"Is where King Marudna is staying. He's the best king ever!" Idiots One and Two exclaimed at the same time. Bali clapped her hands in front of her.

"Truly he is! But if there is nothing else of note around, I would like to sleep. I haven't rested well in days!" Bali explained, yawning widely behind her hands to prove her point.

"Yeah, there's nothing else around. We have an empty tent over this way." Idiot Two replied, and both began to walk towards an area around where the King's tent was.

"That's perfect. I'm glad I stumbled upon these two nimrods." Bali told Ra, who agreed.

"I believe luck is on your side, Kitten."

"Let's hope so." Bali replied, and looked around the two to see the clearing they were walking into. Her eyes widened at what she saw.

Hutsat was sitting, chained to a thick pole in the middle of the clearing. People around were sneering and spitting on him, and Bali couldn't believe he had gotten beaten so badly. The stump he now carried worried her the most, his hand gone. The idiots noticed what she was staring at, and stopped to explain.

"He's one of those Egyptian spies. Don't go near him, he smells bad." Idiot One explained, and Bali nearly blew her cover by going into an all-out rage.

"Kitten! Do not lose control, you are not safe here! Just move on." Ra ordered, yelling throughout her mind so she couldn't concentrate on her murderous thoughts. Bali nodded to the two morons and asked them to keep moving. Bali sneaked one glance back at Hutsat and vowed she would get him to safety before any worse fate should befall him.

Bali finally got to depart from the idiot soldiers when they got to her tent. She thanked them many times, and bid them farewell as they left. Once she was settled in her tent, Bali sat on the cot and rubbed her forehead.

"How am I going to do this? There's no way to really go unnoticed around here. Maybe I should just make my presence known." Bali murmured, and lay back to rest her head. She couldn't believe she had gotten away with so much already. It made her grin when she thought about it.

"I'm pretty good, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are. How about you use your feminism to catch the King's attention. You could attack him then." Ra suggested, and Bali nodded slowly.

"That could work. I guess that's my best bet. Of course, I don't know what Min will do. There's no way to tell him anything that's happened." Bali said anxiously, twiddling with the hem of her robe.

"You'll just have to play it by ear. It is getting dark, good bye, Kitten." Ra bid farewell and was off for his nightly duties. Bali was left alone again, and she decided it was safe enough to fall asleep.

A small pair of eyes peeked in through the entrance to the tent, widened at the sight of the sleeping girl. Off the little girl went, ready to report the news to her new master.

* * *

><p>Atem hadn't gotten any word yet about a new offer, which bought him some time to figure out a plan of attack. It also gave him the hope that Bali was still out there, making her way back.<p>

"Prince Atem, a messenger has arrived! He's Syrian, but not from the camp!" Karim called to him, and Atem raced out of his tent to see who had come. The messenger was calm and noble looking, wearing fine clothes. He bowed his head shortly.

"Prince Atem, I am Prince Mindana of Syria. I come to you because I wish to stop my father. He is the one who has gone crazy and called up this war. A few of my men are still in the hills, but they shall stay there and send reports daily." Min introduced, and Atem bowed his head in the same fashion as Min.

"I am glad you came to me. I want to stop this before anyone else is killed. Prince Mindana, follow me and we shall discuss what to do privately." Atem explained, and Karim nodded his approval at the indirect order.

Once Min and Atem were settled with wine in their hands, Atem let out his burning question.

"Prince Mindana, I have a question for you that is of the utmost importance," Atem started, and Min leaned forward in curiosity and seriousness.

"Do you know where a woman named Bali is? She is a spy that is still unaccounted for on both sides of this war. I ask you because she was bound for the capitol city."

Min's eyes widened, and a smile came to his face, one that was reassuring and friendly.

"She has sneaked into the enemy camp. I told her not to, but she completely blew me off and didn't consider the danger at all. I believe her objective is to assassinate my father." Min explained, and Atem's heart leaped at the thought of her safety, but he stood in anxiety and frustration.

"She should have come here! She has already proved her courage and ability to fight! You should have tried harder to keep her away!" Atem scolded, his voice loud but not at a full yell. Mindana was surprised at the outburst.

"I tried my best, but I already know that she can defeat me in combat. In fact, these bruises on my face are from her." Mindana pointed out, Atem peering at his face and smiling weakly.

"That's just like her." He said fondly, and Min cocked his head to the side with a slight frown.

"My plan will not work if he is too protective of her." He thought, but left it for later, because they had to end the war first.

* * *

><p>Bali was dreaming a dream that she had never dreamed before. It was a variation of when her mother died in the tomb collapse. Sure, she had dreamed about it before, but this time she had seen the whole ordeal from a different point of view, completely off to the side.<p>

Bali watched as her young self and her mother slowly explored the tomb, her mother gripping the torch in nervousness.

"Don't step there..." Bali muttered in warning, but of course, the next stone her mother had stepped on triggered a trap. Bali had seen the event too many times, but never from a third point of view. She watched, unable to move as the passageway gave under her younger self, leaving her dangling from the edge. Her mother went out to reach for her, but she ended up falling and gripping to the side next to her. This part always made Bali wake up, but not this time. Bali watched as her younger self went unconscious from a blow to the head by a falling rock, and her mother sacrificing one arm from her grip to catch her. Bali put her hand over her mouth in surprise. A form had appeared, and had bent down to help her mother. He was glowing, as if he was a spirit, and wearing ancient clothing.

Bali knew him. There was no mistaking who it was.

"What was he doing there? This makes no sense!" Bali screamed, and woke up screaming. Bali wiped the sweat from her brow and shook it to clear her mind.

"What the hell was that supposed to be? Probably something my brain made up." Bali told herself, but she knew she was lying. That dream was what had happened after she had gone unconscious. Bali raised herself from her cot and stretched. It was nighttime now, and she felt that a strategic stroll would be best to get the ultimate layout of the camp. That is, until soldiers barged in with spears and swords raised.

"What's going on?" Bali asked, pretending to be innocent. On the inside, she panicked slightly.

"How the heck did they find out?" Bali asked herself, and the soldiers parted to allow a gray-haired, tall, and crazed looking man to step through. Though he was calm at the moment, Bali knew that this man was mentally unstable by the look in his eyes.

"Hello, Lady Bali of Egypt. I am King Marudna, and you have just given me an advantage in this war. I thank you for that." He introduced, and a few soldiers snickered at her expense. Bali glared.

"Hey there. You guys aren't so sharp if you let _me _in here. Who tipped you off?" Bali growled, and Marudna gave a knowing grin.

"See for yourself." And in walked a small child. Bali felt her heart skip a beat.

Bali had once again been double-crossed.

Standing before her was her former slave, Abigail. The little girl had no problem in explaining why she switched sides.

"You gave me hope when you could speak our language and treated me like a human! And then I hear that you will not save us from servitude and my hopes are crushed!" She cried, and Bali looked away.

"That doesn't mean betraying me will make it any better." She muttered darkly, and Abigail stood up to her defiantly.

"King Marudna said he would free us if he could gain control of Egypt. If I helped him, he would let us go!" She defended, and Bali glared at her severely.

"You foolish child! How do you know he was not lying? Promises are nothing to kings!" Bali yelled, and Abigail flinched as the seed of doubt was sewn into her mind. Abigail hid behind the king, who stepped forward to grab Bali's chin.

"What is it with bad guys and doing that?" Bali asked herself randomly, but glared back into Marudna's eyes.

"You would have made a fine bride for my son, Prince Mindana. Ah well, that young whelp will take you far more seriously than that half-dead spy." Marudna muttered to her, and Bali thought that he was talking about Seth. She rolled her eyes.

"That guy hates me. Why would he want me back?" Bali snorted, and Marudna stepped away and began to walk away, taking her Nubian bow and arrows with him.

"I have a feeling he can't say no to you." Marudna answered, and Abigail filed out after him, shooting her a grieved look. Bali stared after her, and a soldier proclaimed that she was going to be held prisoner in the tent.

"I figured that out, dumbass! Get out of here!" Bali yelled at him, losing her patience with all that had happened. The soldier was terrified of her resilience and hurried himself out with a small squeak. Bali smiled with satisfactory before she realized the full extent of what was happening.

"I'm a freaking bargaining chip!" She groaned, hitting herself lightly in the face for her stupidity. But she calmed down and sat back on her cot. She knew that Abigail was now having second thoughts, and that the girl was likely to help her despite her recent betrayal.

"At least, I hope my gamble pays off." Bali muttered, and continued to think about what she should do.

* * *

><p>Atem and Min received another message claiming that the camp had had a commotion at one point, with soldiers raiding a tent. When both Princes heard, they knew what must have happened.<p>

"She was caught." Min said, and sat in shock. Atem was surprised as well, but his expression hardened.

"Marudna is going to use her as the bargaining tool. We must draw out time until morning. By morning, Bali will most definitely have a plan." Atem explained, and Min, Karim and the messenger looked to each other, wondering what he meant.

"How are you so sure?" Min asked, and Atem turned with a confident smirk and glittering eyes.

"She'll get a special visitor." Was all he said, but he knew that Bali's special guardian would surely help her.

"Great Ra, I hope you make it in time." Atem prayed in his mind, and the two princes and Karim began to plan their meeting with King Marudna.

* * *

><p><strong>Bali got caught... again. Oh well, at least she has Ra to help her plan, but will the Egyptians be able to stall until morning? We'll just have to see! Oh, and what is Min's plan for after the war? <strong>

**So many questions, but they will all be answered soon! But this next week will have no chapters because I still have to go to band camp! **

**Thanks for reading and PLEASE review! I read all of them and take them into account, even if I don't reply to them! You have my greatest thanks for doing so, so just review!**


	17. I Missed You

**Hey everyone, I'm making this update as a little present before band camp! Reminders that I won't be updating for another week. **

**This contains the end of the war, so I hope you like it!**

**FUN FACT!: Only the Royal Family and really rich noble families in Ancient Egypt were polygamous. Everyone else was monogamous, meaning they only had one spouse. They didn't have many arranged marriages and often times fell in love! The ancient Egyptians were quite flirtatious, and believed that love was enough for marriage, not riches for connections. Pretty sweet huh?**

**Enjoy! I quite like this one myself!**

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><p>Bali sat impatiently waiting for dawn to arrive. She had a plan, but wanted Ra's help anyways. Since Ra could see out far more than she could, it seemed the wise thing to do. But the night seemed to go slower than usual.<p>

"Dammit Ra, couldn't you defeat those monsters a little faster?" Bali groaned, and put her head in her hands. The tent started to shift slightly at one little flap under her cot. Bali perked up to listen for it, and looked for the sound.

She finally looked under her bed, and there was the bow and quiver of arrows. Bali smirked.

"Called it." She stated simply, and took the weapon and mustered up her courage. Bali strapped the quiver on, and went up to the flap in the tent and took a peak at the two guards at the entrance. They didn't notice, and she retreated briefly.

"Hmm… What to do…" She strategize, and looked around for an excuse to distract them. She saw her empty water dish and her face lit up with an idea. She went back up to the tent flap, with an arrow at the ready in her fist. She was going to use the arrow as a knife and incapacitate the guards so she could sneak out.

"Hey, if I'm going to be successful as a prisoner of war, I need to stay alive... Could I get some water?" Bali asked lightly, almost with a friendly, joking manner. The guards rolled their eyes.

"Hold on." One grunted, and Bali backed up so he could come in. She readied herself. He came through with a jug of water, and Bali leaped forward before he could react.

Bali jammed the arrow into his eye, and he fell over dead because the arrow had probably pierced his brain. The other guard heard the commotion and entered with his sword drawn, but was taken off guard **(talk about bad puns...) **and was immediately shot between the eyes, as Bali had quickly drawn and had been prepared for the assault. Bali dragged the bodies so they would be unnoticed in her tent, and she covered herself up so she wasn't immediately recognizable. She stepped cautiously out of the tent and looked around. Nobody had seen anything, and Bali made way for the giant tent with the waiting king.

"It's time for a little payback, Marudna." Bali whispered, and was glad that any of the guards around were sleepy anyway. Bali sneaked around quietly, being careful of stepping into the light of torches. Bali reached the tent in no time at all, mainly because her prison tent was so close to it. Bali went all the way around the tent, noting entrances and guards, as well as unguarded areas.

"Hmmm... If I enter here, no one will really notice until daybreak, which won't be for a few hours. I'd say that this is what I'm looking for." Bali figured, finding a dark area where no one could see her at all. Bali lifted the tent so she could see if she would be leaving herself open while getting in. Fortunately, it looked as though the area surrounding the space was storage for whatever the king wanted. Bali smirked.

"I love it when people do dumb, arrogant things without knowing it." She hummed, and got to work sliding herself under the tent. It was slow work, because she didn't want to disturb the walls too much and be noticed. The process payed off however, and soon she was all set to sneak up and assassinate Marudna. Bali again kept to the darker corners, and listened for anything at all inside the tent. What she heard was Marudna speaking loudly and proudly about giving his son the power that he had always deserved by taking over Egypt and their trade connections. Bali grit her teeth and moved around so she could find out when whoever he was talking to would leave. She caught a glimpse of Marudna, and her eyes widened.

He wasn't talking to anyone, just himself. Bali rolled her eyes.

"He really is nuts. Well, I'll put an end to that." She thought, but her senses heightened when Marudna stopped talking and stood from his seat.

"So you've gotten out already, Lady Bali. I know you're here, don't be shy." he called out, his voice not a yell and not even commanding. Bali stepped out of the shadows and Marudna turned to her with a grim smile.

"I figured you'd be coming soon. That little slave of yours thought she could outsmart me by taking the bow to you." He elaborated, and crooked his head towards another part of the tent. Bali stepped forward to see what he meant, and saw the battered body of the slave girl. Bali raced over and turned Abigail face up, catching the staggered breaths that only death brought. Abigail opened her eyes weakly.

"You were never a bad master." She whispered hoarsely, and went limp as her eyes fluttered shut. Bali couldn't believe what had just happened.

"She betrayed you and then she betrayed me. People like that can't be trusted very well, so I disposed of her myself. Shouldn't you be grateful?" Marudna asked, coming up behind Bali and peering at the child in her arms.

"You bastard... You had no right!" Bali screamed, throwing her fist out and catching Marudna's cheek before he jumped away.

"No need to be hostile. You've got quite the foul temper. Why don't we sit and talk like civilized people?" Marudna said pleasantly, prodding at Bali's anger even more. Bali carefully laid the child down and stood.

"You are not civilized, and therefore there is no reason to talk. Get ready to die." Bali growled, turning to glower at the king. This time, the king took her seriously and pulled out his sword.

* * *

><p>Sarin-an-Munad was worried about everything that was happening. She had gotten word that all spies had been captured, and that Bali was going to be bargained off from the enemy camp.<p>

"Father, please let me go! I promise I won't be in the way!" Sarin pleaded, but Akhnemkhanen refused his daughter's wish.

"Your role in this war is to stay here, Sarin-an-Munad. Your brother will take care of everything that is happening. You must believe in him." The old Pharaoh advised, weakly smiling despite his poor health. Sarin kept quiet and nodded, but there was something she had in common with her brother; she was a schemer.

Sarin went off through the palace in search of the two people she knew could help her. The task would be easy, seeing as one trained under the other.

"Master Mahad, Mana, I need your assistance!" Sarin called, entering a small classroom-type area in which Mahad was instructing Mana. Both looked to the princess with seriousness.

"Is there something wrong? Am I needed with the palace guard?" Mahad asked immediately, but Sarin shook her head.

"No, the palace is well protected thanks to your efforts. I need to ask you two for a personal favor. Please help me, I'm begging you." Sarin pleaded to them, bowing her head to show she was not pulling a prank. Both mages were surprised, but Mana put a hand on Sarin's shoulder with a smile.

"We'll hear you out. It must be pretty important if you're coming to us." Mana replied, and Mahad nodded with a softened expression.

"Thank you both. Now, my father has refused to let me go to the war front to assist and help my friend. I do not care how I get there, but I swear by the gods that I will go. And I need you two to help me." Sarin explained, and the sorcerer's apprentice jumped on board immediately.

"Of course I'll help you! You and Atem and Bali are like family to me! Master Mahad, we have to help!" Mana exclaimed, and looked up with Sarin to give giant pleading and persuasive eyes. Mahad looked between the two and sighed defeated.

"I suppose I can help you. You'll have to go fast for me to cover you, and you will not go alone, princess. Mana, you'll stay here and make sure nothing happens in my absence." Mahad planned, and the princess cheered happily while Mana pouted.

"Master, you _always_ get to do all of the cool stuff." Mana whined, and Mahad ruffled her hair.

"That's because I didn't slack off in learning my spells." He replied sternly, and Mana stuck out her tongue.

"I've been working!" She defended, but the group had little time for such a trivial debate. Mahad and Sarin-an-Munad had to get out of the palace as soon as possible, if they wanted to help properly in the scheme of the war.

* * *

><p>Bali was in a death match, and it didn't seem that either side seemed to be winning. Bali was getting tired however, the lack of rest taking a toll on her. Though she had landed a few good punches and kicks, and even a stab in the arm with an arrow, Marudna seemed to pay no attention to them at all. It was almost as if he didn't even feel pain. The king was going to gain an upper hand in the fight if Bali didn't truly motivate herself.<p>

"Remember your battle with me, child!" Isis called in her mind, and Bali briefly remembered that one tough battle where she had no chance of winning. Isis had only dropped in to give those words of encouragement, but Bali already felt better. Bali charged once more, energy renewed.

* * *

><p>Atem had been too worried and nervous to wait for dawn to come. he called for Karim and all of the captains to join he and Min in his tent for a discussion. A message had just been sent saying that there was another commotion down in the camp, and that something was going on inside the king's tent, for basically every man was surrounding it trying to figure out what was going on themselves. It was an excellent piece of information, because that meant that their guard was down, and that a raid had a good chance of being successful.<p>

"Karim, attack with your Dyat-Dyankh and lead two squadrons in a frontal assault. I will take one and go in the side, and Min, his men and the other captains will surround the camp to make sure that no one tries to get away. Raise the troops quietly and quickly; we must take this window of opportunity that Bali is giving us!" Atem threw out orders, and everyone went about in a hurry. Min gave Atem a sideways glance.

"Bali? How do you know that she is involved with this strange distraction?" Min asked curiously, stroking his chin for added effect. Atem again smirked.

"She's the only one who could get so much attention." He answered, and Min chuckled.

"You are right."

It didn't take long for the army to mobilize, and the troops were excited to help and finally try to end the danger to their homeland. They missed their homes, and as Atem walked among them he realized he missed life at the palace as well.

"I won't go back unless it is with you, however." Atem mumbled, smiling sadly to himself. Bali's smile shone in his mind, and it gave him every bit of strength he needed to go through with his plan. He couldn't wait to see her again, and hoped she would be strong until he arrived.

Atem was given the go ahead for readiness, and Atem raised his hand. He brought it down, the silent signal for the troops to move out. The army split as Atem made for the side entrance of the camp, the very same one Bali had entered into.

The Syrians had barely any resistance, and the Egyptians soon flooded the camp and drowned them out. Cries of battle were heard, but Atem led his troops to the king's tent, where a battle was already being fought. The Syrians were losing pitifully because they hadn't paid attention to what was around them. Atem had almost no opposition when heading for the entrance to the tent. No one had gone inside, and Atem raced through the fray to check and see if Bali was inside.

Atem made it just in time to see one great leap and an awesome slash. He stood watching as Bali gave a mighty yell and sliced open Marudna's throat, blood pouring out of the wound at a deadly pace. Bali landed on her feet over the slain king's body and stared disgustedly at the corpse, which had still a crazed smile upon its features.

"So much for a real fight." Bali growled, and turned tiredly as she breathed heavily. She noticed that Atem was standing there, and looked up into his eyes. She smiled tiredly and held her side as she walked over at a quickened pace.

"This war is over." She told him happily, and collapsed into his arms. Atem held her close, and was surprised, delighted and grateful when Bali wrapped her arms around him as well.

"I missed you." She muttered. Atem squeezed her with a wide grin.

"I missed you more, I'm sure."

* * *

><p>The victory truly and wholly went to the Egyptians that night. Seth had heard of the calamity and surged his own troops forward in an assault on another camp. His forces ended up taking the camp easily, and Egyptian soldiers celebrated heartily, for now they could go home, and praised the gods for their good fortune. Messengers and scribes were sent to every major city to tell of the great battle at the border, and the victory of the Blessed Land of the Gods. Poets and musicians had already started composing, building prose and the life for the Pharaoh, his son, and for the Warrior-goddess, Bali.<p>

Bali was at the Egyptian camp, recovering from everything that had been inflicted on her. She spent every waking moment talking to Atem and Min, about how they had been given a great fortune. Min had taken control of any of the Syrian troops left and begged for forgiveness from Atem. Atem readily pardoned he and his country, and any and all Syrians still loyal to the late King Marudna were hanged. Marudna's body, along with the rest of any who had died among the Syrians, were given a burning funeral pyre. Mindana had ascended to the throne, and he was already negotiating fairly with Atem.

"I only have one request, Atem." Min brought up, as the two royals were with Bali once more. Bali was sitting up in her cot comfortably and watching the two new friends.

"What is that?" Atem asked, Bali meeting his eyes showing she was just as curious.

"As I am now king, I need a bride. I must give my country something to celebrate, and must try to cement ties with Egypt even more that what has already happened. Lady Bali, you have impressed me greatly throughout the small time I have known you, and your stunning beauty has caught my attention (Bali snorted at this). Please, become my queen. You will be given the freedom to visit the Egyptian Palace whenever you wish." Min proposed, and it wasn't Bali, but Atem who outright objected. He stood angrily.

"The answer is no! She is going to stay in Egypt from now on!" Atem yelled, and Min stood to argue.

"You are not Bali, therefore you have no right to answer for her! The decision is hers!"

"I already know she's going to refuse, so drop the subject!"

"You do not read minds Atem, you do not know what she feels!" The two argued, and Bali watched both of them in irritation.

"HEY!" She yelled over both of them, and they both turned with innocently blank faces.

"Both of you SHUT UP! King Mindana, I'm afraid that I must decline your offer, because my fate is to stay in Egypt, and that is what the gods tell me."

"Damn straight." Ra chimed happily, and Bali agreed in her mind. Atem had given Min victorious 'I told you so' smirk before Bali rounded on him.

"Atem, stop being a twit. Anyways, Min, I really don't think you're my type anyway. Please don't take it personally. Some day you'll find the right woman who will gladly stand by you as your queen." Bali declined politely, and Min's shoulders sagged.

"Perhaps this war is not over quite yet. Bali, I am determined to make you mine." Min said in a tone of finality. However, his serious demeanor didn't last long when another person entered the room.

"Bali, you're safe! I'm sorry I couldn't be here to help like I wanted! We had to sneak out of the palace to get here." Sarin-an-Munad exclaimed, pouncing on Bali excitedly. Bali grunted and tried to pry the princess off so she could breath. Atem glanced at Min's face, and was amazed to find that the young king was blushing and gaping at Sarin.

Sarin finally got herself up and into a dignified position and turned to Atem. She nodded curtly in hello, then turned to Min. She smiled.

"Hello, who are you?" She asked pleasantly, and Min for once was at a loss for words. Sarin giggled at his speechlessness. They started conversation and began to walk out together. Atem slipped over next to Bali and sat next to her on her cot.

"Determined to make you mine, huh? What a fickle moron." Atem commented, and Bali lightly slapped the back of his head.

"That's called love at first sight, and it's for the better. It looks like Sarin-an-Munad is going to be the Queen of Syria." Bali replied, and Atem frowned at that thought. If and when Sarin got married, he would have no one to take as a bride of his own, except for...

He smiled.

"Yes, it is for the better." He agreed, and both sat in comfortable silence.

That is, until Bali asked a burning question from something she had overheard.

"So, when were you going to tell me you are the Crown Prince?"

* * *

><p><strong>Bali FINALLY figured out Atem's secret! Min found is true love in Sarin and Sarin found her true love in him! What will that mean for Atem and Bali in the future? I haven't quite decided yet, but we'll get there eventually!<strong>

**The next chapter will be sad, just to warn you. I mean, I might cry while writing it. Yeah, that sad.**

**Please, for the love of Ra, REVIEW! I'm still here for a little bit and can read them and get feedback for the next chapter so I write it right! I hope you enjoyed and please also stick around for the next installment of An Historic Discovery!**


	18. A Good Friend Gone

**I'm back from band camp! The week was great and we got so much work done. Not to mention that it was loads of fun! We're doing a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory marching show this year, and we have the entire first movement down already!**

**Anyways, thanks to everyone who reviewed, it's almost to 100! I never thought this story would ever get support like that, and I'm glad it does! **

**Besides that, I do believe there is a sad part in this chapter, and yes I did tear up a little myself. But that's just me, it probably won't make a difference to all of you.**

**FUN FACT!: Nubia (also known as Kush) was very much like Egypt, though had their rulers elected by noblemen. Of course, these rulers were all from the Royal Family, and in fact, the government system was a matriarchy, meaning most rulers were female! Nubia praised Egyptian gods and used hieroglyphics, and even had pyramids! Though these pyramids were smaller and steeper than those at Giza, they held the same purpose as tombs. I researched Nubia my Sophomore year and found my old report one day, and decided to share!**

**I hope all of you enjoy! **

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><p>Bali stared at Atem with the most severe look he had ever received. He twitched and looked about nervously, trying to think of a way to avoid conflict. Bali's eyebrow raised at his lack of words.<p>

"I'd start explaining, Atem." Bali suggested, though it was more of an order. The fact that she was calm made Atem nervous, because the light in her eyes contradicted her words, tone of voice and facial expression. There was anger, but it wasn't boiling over.

"Yet." Thought Atem, and he cleared his throat and turned to face Bali more.

"I lied to you," He started, and Bali nodded slowly, looking at him in a way that said 'obviously.'

"But I did it because I thought that you might not like me anymore. In the beginning when we weren't really friends, I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to treat me like everyone else does. And then as time went on, I was afraid to tell you because I didn't want you to get so extremely angry that we wouldn't be friends anymore. I promise I was going to tell you when the war was over, and even without the war I would have told you myself soon enough." Atem spilled, and when he was finished, Bali still had the same stern expression, but Atem noticed that the fire of rage in her eyes had disappeared. She smiled.

"You're such an idiot. I can't be mad at you," Bali began, and Atem gave her a questioning look. Bali chuckled slightly.

"You know my secret, and I wouldn't want you to get so angry at me that you'd let it fly." Bali replied, giving Atem a wink that made Atem's mind go blank. Blood began to rush to his face, but before Bali could notice, she began to try and stand up. Atem calmed his blush to stand first to help her.

"You know, you shouldn't be getting up yet." Atem scolded, wrapping Bali's arm around his shoulders and wrapping his arm around her waist. Bali smirked while clutching her still injured side.

"Now now, no pain no gain. That's a saying from one of the founders of my country." Bali told him, and Atem liked the sound of it.

"That's an interesting phrase. I think I shall use it from now on. When we get settled back into the palace, I say that we should talk about your old home, and I'll tell you about all of my princely ordeals while growing up." Atem suggested, and Bali nodded slowly. She knew she couldn't reveal too much about the future, but she figured she could talk about the geography at least, and maybe describe the personalities of the people that were involved in her old life.

"I need to go to Hutsat." Bali mumbled suddenly, remembering his half dead form in the camp. Atem's eyes widened at the sudden mood change, but agreed readily. As they were walking around the camp to the tent Hutsat was resting in, Bali couldn't help but chuckle.

"I can't believe I didn't see it before. Of course you're the crown prince, you're the only one that fits the bill. I'm such an idiot." Bali said, and Atem chuckled slightly along with her.

"I'm sorry to say that I agree. I nearly bumped into you at inopportune moments several times." Atem admitted and Bali gave him a playful glare.

"I can still kick your ass, Atem."

"We'll see about that, Bali."

* * *

><p>King Mindana was absolutely smitten with Sarin-an-Munad. Her personality, her looks, everything about her seemed to match everything he had ever dreamed of in a woman. To think that if they were married, they would both be so perfect for one another, and the two kingdoms would be united!<p>

Princess Sarin-an-Munad hadn't thought she would find true love when she escaped to help the war. The only thing stopping her from openly saying her feelings was the fact that Atem would be left without an eligible candidate as his Great Royal Wife. Mindana had expressed a great interest in her, but she acted like she was playing coy so she could leave him to speak with her older brother.

Sarin was looking for them throughout the camp when she met up with Karim.

"Master Karim, have you seen Atem anywhere? There's something serious we have to talk about!" Sarin gasped, having had to run back to camp from the nearby stream where she and Mindana had just recently conversed. Karim nodded.

"Prince Atem and Lady Bali just walked past here a few moments ago. They are slow-going, so you should be able to catch up with them easily." Karim directed, pointing down a certain path through the tents.

"Thank you!" Sarin yelled over her shoulder as she ran off to find her brother. Karim had been right; Sarin caught up with the two in no time at all. Atem was supporting the still injured Bali and both were talking about something rather unimportant in Sarin's mind.

"Brother, I need to talk to you! Oh-" Sarin realized her mistake, but Bali waved it off.

"No worries, I finally figured out that he's going to be Pharaoh." Bali stated, giving a slight pointed glare to Atem, who laughed nervously. But Sarin was in no mood for any of that, because her love was on the line!

"Brother, I am in love with King Mindana." Sarin stated, still breathing heavily from all of the running. Atem and Bali glanced at each other.

"Okay. Good for you. What does that have to do with me?" Atem asked, resettling Bali around his shoulders. Sarin stamped her foot in irritation.

"Moron, who are you going to marry if I'm not there to marry you? You have to have someone in the family to marry and I'm the only one left!" Sarin screeched, and Atem grunted as he resettled Bali again and considered Sarin's statement. Bali felt slightly useless at that moment, especially since she couldn't really stand on her own yet, and that she was making Atem uncomfortable and stiff.

"It will be taken care of, Sarin. Marry him so we can get this alliance straight. Father would approve." Atem ordered, and both Bali and Sarin peered at him mystified.

"How can he have a solution to this problem?" Both girls thought, but Sarin stood back and looked at the big picture at that moment.

"Lady Bali... LADY BALI! Atem is in love with Lady Bali and wants to marry her!" Sarin figured out, because she saw the small look in her brother's eyes when he looked at Bali, and it gave it all away. Sarin smiled giddily and giggled slightly at the thought.

"Those two will be such a comical couple on the throne! It's best that I keep my little discovery to myself, though." Sarin thought, and waved good bye to the two. After Sarin had run off, Bali broke the silence.

"So, what is your plan on this whole wife thing?" She asked, slightly annoyed at all of the resettling Atem kept doing to her arm. He answered with a growl of frustration.

"You know what," He started, and scooped her up into his arms. Bali shrieked in surprise.

"Deal with it." Atem said, more comfortable carrying Bali than just being her crutch. Bali couldn't fling her legs, but she flung her arms as much as she could.

"You jerk! I can walk, put me down this instant!" She flared, and Atem gave her one of his devilish smirks.

"Now you're starting to sound like one of my snobby older sisters."

...

Meanwhile, Sarin was watching the whole scene from behind a tent. A wide grin spread across her face at the sight of Atem carrying her.

"You know, eavesdropping is not a good habit." Min whispered in her ear, and Sarin jumped in shock. Min had a witty smirk of his own, and Sarin forgot her anger at being surprised to pounce on the new king.

"I can marry you!" She cheered, and Min's eyes widened and his heartbeat quickened.

"How did you know I wanted you to marry me?" He asked, and Sarin rolled her eyes.

"You dummy, I'm not like Lady Bali! I can see that you love me, and I'm pleased to say that I love you too." Sarin announced, and Min stood in complete shock for a moment, before holding Sarin tightly and dancing around.

Everyone around watched as the two lovers danced like fools without a care.

* * *

><p>The air in Hutsat's tent was stifling. It seemed hopeless for the captain of the informants. When Bali and Atem had gotten there, he had just been checked up once more. Bali refused to hear how much time he had left. In her mind, she didn't want to deal with another death. Atem talked with the healer outside the tent while Bali slowly edged herself towards Hutsat's cot. His stump was wrapped in fresh bandages, but it had been severely infected to the point where he couldn't fight it even with magic's help. All any magician or healer could do was ease the pain that must have been radiating throughout his body from all of the abuse. Bali sat on a small stool next to his cot and peered at him. He coughed slightly and slowly opened his eyes. He looked around for a moment, and finally found Bali.<p>

"Hey Kitty." He greeted in a hoarse whisper, smiling as much as possibly could. Bali took his one hand in both of hers and smiled back.

"Hey boss. We beat them. The war is over."

"Heh, I figured _that _much out already, even if I'm on my deathbed here." Bali felt a shiver go up her spine.

"Don't say that, the gang died for you Hutsat." Bali snapped, but stopped short and looked concerned as Hutsat's hand raised from hers.

"No. They died for _you_." He said, and poked her nose which made her blink in surprise. Hutsat laugh/coughed at the sight. Bali grabbed his hand back and squeezed it, hoping that somehow her own life energy would help him live.

"Whatever. Just don't die on me, you're the only one left besides me." Bali said quickly, as Hutsat's grip seemed to be getting weaker. A tear rolled down her face as Hutsat's breaths began to grow ragged.

"All of them, even little Abigail? You've got quite the charisma, Kitty. You've got everyone dying for you. Even me, and that's quite a feat." Hutsat explained, but Bali shushed him, tears pouring down her face. Atem walked in, and when he saw Bali's hunched over position, he hurried over to see what was wrong.

"S-save y-y-your b-breath, Hutsat." Bali sobbed, losing control of her emotional barrier that she usually kept intact. Atem put his hands around hers, which were still gripping Hutsat's. Hutsat smiled weakly.

"Ah, Prince Charming here to save the day, huh? Well, you know what? Come here Bali, I need to tell you something." Hutsat commanded, and Bali shakily stood over him, but before she could turn her head to listen, he captured her lips in a weak kiss. It lasted only one excruciating moment, as Hutsat leaned back down. He had used all of his remaining strength. Bali leaned back surprised, a hand over her lips, Atem just as surprised.

"I beat you to it, Atem. Well... See you... later..." Hutsat gave his farewell, his voice barely audible as his last words rang in the ears of Bali and Atem. Everything around Bali seemed to stop as Hutsat went limp and his eyelids fluttered shut. A deafening silence reigned the room.

"No... GET UP, YOU BASTARD!" Bali screamed, and Atem had to hold her back with tears streaming down his own face. She fought to get at Hutsat, who sat with a satisfied, peaceful expression on his worn face.

"BALI!" Atem yelled suddenly, and Bali froze as Atem turned her to face him. She crumbled into him, becoming a sobbing mess. She yelled in misery, and Atem held her close while tearfully praying in his mind that Hutsat would pass the test of his sins against Ma'at's feather. Karim, Sarin, Min, and the healer had all entered by that point, and were surprised at the sight they saw. Sarin began crying quietly, and Min held her close with a grave expression. Karim and the healer bowed their heads respectfully, their looks of sadness showing that they too would miss the brilliant spy.

Atem led Bali out and took her back to her tent so she could calm down. He sat her down on her cot, and she wasn't sobbing anymore, but had tears streaming down her face. Atem sat next to her and got her to face him. He gently cupped her face with both hands and used his thumbs to wipe away her tears.

"Hutsat doesn't want any more of your tears, Bali." Atem told her softly, leaning down to look her straight in the eyes. Bali sniffed, and nodded.

"You're right. I'm sorry." Bali apologized, regaining her composure. Atem leaned his head to the side slightly, a small frown on his face. His eyes widened when Bali's hands went up to his face and wiped away the tears still on them. She smiled slightly.

"He doesn't need any tears from both of us." She said, and at that, Atem enveloped her in a hug, which she returned so as to comfort the friend who had just been there for her.

* * *

><p>Every single one of the troops had heard of the death of Hutsat, and so the journey back to the palace was a quiet one. Every single informant as already prepared, so as their bodies wouldn't be disturbed on the way to the palace. They would be put in a separate chamber of Akhnemkhanen's tomb, a symbol that they would serve him once he got to the afterlife as well. Even Jihan had been returned, on Min's command. Both he and Sarin had gone back to the capitol city to start their new lives as King and Queen. Bali remembered her talk with Sarin-an-Munad before they had departed.<p>

***FLASHBACK!***

"Bali, I'm going to miss you so much! Please, take care of yourself and keep my brother in line for me!" Sarin squeaked, choked with tears. Bali smiled and patted her shoulder.

"I will, I promise. By the way, Sarin, I wanted to ask you something." Bali stated, and Sarin nodded for her to continue, having calmed down.

"Atem... Does he really have a solution to finding a proper queen?" Bali asked, curiosity having gotten the best of her. Sarin gave a knowing smile.

"You'll see." Sarin answered cryptically, which left Bali even more confused. But the call for the Syrian group to move out was beginning to be heralded, so Sarin had to hurry back. Before she ran off, she took up Bali's hand in both of hers and looked at Bali with a serene smile that spoke wisdom and kindness.

"I hope you find happiness once more, Lady Bali." Sarin told her, and left to board her King's horse. Min looked back for a moment, and saw Bali standing there alone. He waved a salute with his sword, and Bali returned the wave with her own. Min turned around and off the troops went on his command. Bali watched as they left and looked at her sword.

It was King Marudna's old sword, a spoil she had taken for herself.

"This sword will be good from now on, and will only be used to slay the wicked." Ra proclaimed, and Bali nodded. The sword had a new kind of energy buzzing around it, and Bali guessed that Ra had just turned into a holy sword.

***Flash-Forward!***

Bali put a hand on the hilt of the sword in memory of all of the people who had died for the moment she had slain the crazy king.

Atem led the troops on his chariot, while Bali rode behind on Bit, not far from Atem at all. It seemed that she was deemed the 'champion' of sorts. They didn't exactly have those same terms as those in the future medieval kingdoms, but apparently she was around the same status at that point as the king's champion. Having slain the great enemy of Egypt, it seemed to make sense.

It took a few uneventful days to get back to the palace, and Master Seth had already arrived by that time. Bali was immediately approached by him after she had given Bit to a stable boy.

"What took you so long? Slowing down the troops like most women do?" Seth teased, but Bali glared up at him.

"I'm in no mood Seth. And if you hadn't heard already, we were laden with respect for the dead. Unless you want to anger the gods by brushing them off like it seems you've just done." Bali replied coldly, and brushed past Seth before he could say anything to the matter. In fact, he was concerned about the fact that she didn't stay for his further argument. She usually did, and it was that 'love to hate each other' relationship that got them somewhat close to one another.

Atem went straight to the throne room to see his father, still laden in armor, to report himself the good news. But first, he had to find Bali, the true hero of the war. He thought maybe she had gone to her room immediately, so went up that way first. No one answered the door, as Mery and Su probably weren't aware that Bali had returned yet. Atem next went to the Nile sanctuary, which of course turned out to be successful. Bali was sitting there, still in her own armor and gear, stroking Ameniphus. Bali heard the clink of his armor and turned to face him.

"I know I need to report with you. I just needed to come to terms with some things, and I think only Ameniphus could help." Bali explained before Atem said anything. Atem nodded in understanding. Cats were the guardians of the underworld, after all. Bali was probably thinking of all of her fallen comrades by getting Ameniphus. Atem was about to walk over and help Bali stand when something rubbed around his legs.

At and Tiye were welcoming him back with purrs and small cleaning licks. Atem smiled at the gesture and bent down to pet them. Bali let Ameniphus trot over to his parents, who promptly began to give him a bath. Atem laughed, and stood from his crouch and went over to help Bali up. She took his offered hand gratefully, and he pulled her up. His pull was a little too strong however, and the armor made Bali unbalanced. Their armor made a small crashing noise as Bali fell against Atem, both of them luckily not falling all together.

"Sorry." Bali mumbled, looking up into Atem's down turned eyes. Bali scooted away from his chest and put her hands down (she had brought them up to catch herself). Both stood awkwardly in silence, both embarrassed by the event.

"Well, we had better make that report." Atem sputtered, and Bali had to catch up as he left her in the dust.

Bali just didn't understand what she was so embarrassed about.

* * *

><p><strong>Awkwardness isn't much in Bali's nature, is it? But there it is! <strong>

**Yep, I killed Hutsat, my favorite character! Seriously, I'm really sad that I did it, but it was crucial for the plot. The fact that he was joking around right before he died just made me feel so sad! **

**IN MEMORY OF THE INFORMANTS, I HEREBY DECLARE THEM THE TRUE HEROES OF THIS WAR, AND THUS CLAIM THIS CHAPTER TO BE OVER. MAY THE AFTERLIFE ACCEPT YOUR SOULS. :'( YOU WILL BE MISSED.**

**Well, please review as always. I'll be waiting... :)**


	19. Assume the Throne

**Hey everyone, Airheadninja is updating once more! Despite the fact that she should be reading Catch-22 by Joseph Heller for AP Lit this next year, she thought it would be nice for all of you to get some reading in yourselves.**

**This chapter has some more sadness, but it's pretty much the end of this whole sadness thing for awhile.**

**FUN FACT!: Airheadninja can't lift only one eyebrow! How about that for something useless?**

**I do not own YGO! or anything that obviously doesn't belong to me! I wouldn't be writing fan fiction if I actually had a life.**

**With that, enjoy everyone!**

* * *

><p>Atem and Bali were appalled to hear that Pharaoh Akhnemkhanen wasn't in the throne room.<p>

"Prince Atem, Lady Bali, Pharaoh has become so weak that he cannot move from his bed. I'm afraid that the time has come for him to return to the gods." Akhenaden directed, his voice grave with the thought of losing his brother. Chills went down both their spines and they both, despite being exhausted and wearing heavy armor, ran to the king's room. Both were let in by the guard outside.

"Father!" Atem called, and raced through the suite, Bali following because he didn't know where to go. She didn't have time to look about at the spacious and luxurious rooms about her.

"My son… Bali… I am glad you both made it back safely. Both of you have saved this country. For that, I am grateful. Please, do not worry about me. I may have little strength now, but soon I shall watch over everyone and protect them as I once did." Akhnemkhanen whispered, and Bali could only stare sadly as she realized what she meant. Atem already had tears streaming down his face. He was kneeling beside his father, ready to hear any last commands the king might have.

"Atem… Your time has come. Take the Millennium Puzzle now." Akhnemkhanen told him, but Atem shook his head.

"No, you just said you would get better!" Atem cried, but Akhnemkhanen gave him a stern look, surprisingly strong for his weakened state.

"Remember who you are! You are my son, and the one true king!" Pharaoh replied, but coughed afterwards for raising his voice. Atem's eyes widened, but his father's words rang true. Atem gently helped Akhnemkhanen lift his head so Atem could slip the Millennium Puzzle from around his neck. Atem held it out from himself for a couple of seconds before placing it around his neck. Akhnemkhanen smiled.

"I am proud of your growth, Atem. You will make a great king. As for you, Bali," Akhnemkhanen turned his head to Bali, who stepped forward and knelt down next to Atem. Bali still wasn't crying, mostly because all of her sadness had been drained on Hutsat, and there were so many past times when people have died that she just couldn't cry anymore.

"You two take care of each other. Bali, guard Egypt like you have done once more. This nation needs you in more ways than one." Akhnemkhanen told her, and his eyes began to fade.

"Father!" Atem yelled, leaning forward, but that was it.

Atem was now officially the King of Egypt.

* * *

><p>Word was sent out with messengers throughout the kingdom, and to Syria and Nubia to tell of Pharaoh Akhnemkhanen's death and of the new Pharaoh that had risen to the throne. Preparations were being made for Pharaoh Akhnemkhanen's journey to his tomb, and Pharaoh Atem's celebration for succeeding the throne wouldn't come until after the week of mourning.<p>

Bali, Mery and Su were reunited once more, although it wasn't exactly a happy reunion. All were getting ready to ride the ship out across the Nile.

"Mery, I'm going to see Pharaoh. You girls are doing wonderfully, keep it up." Bali complimented flatly. All there was was sadness. Hutsat and the informants would be buried at the same time as Akhnemkhanen, seeing as their deaths were close enough together.

"Thank you, Lady Bali." Mery replied, her tone of voice matching Bali's. Su was out for the moment, for her grief was greater than any of their's. Bali had found out that Jihan in fact had been courting Su. It only made Bali feel worse for all of the things she had done in the past weeks.

Bali felt even worse because Atem was giving orders from his room, shutting himself up because his grief was too much.

"I've had enough. Atem, you said Hutsat needed none of my tears, and your father needs none of yours! They both wanted us to be happy and to stand strong on our own two legs!" Bali thought, planning to say that to Atem's face.

Atem had already moved into his father's old suite, as it had always been the Pharaoh's place. Bali had immediate access to his rooms, no questions asked. These orders were of course acted on when Bali arrived, and Bali entered without hesitation. She walked back to the bedroom, where she knew he was laying.

"Atem, you need to get up." Bali yelled, seeing his form not moving beneath the sheets.

"Stop nagging me Bali." He replied quietly, and Bali stomped up. She ripped the blankets off and glared down at him.

"LISTEN! You are NOT acting like you should. Yes; your father is gone and a lot of sadness has been spread for us. That shouldn't keep us down. Think of the legacy they handed down to us, Atem! Everyone is sad at the losses, but there is much more happiness through the gains they have afforded us purposefully! So many lives were saved! Families weren't destroyed because they stood up for their country! And everyone believes in you, your father believes in you and you know what? So do I! So GET UP AND STAND ON YOUR OWN TWO LEGS!" Bali ranted, pulling him up by his arm and staring into his eyes. Their fire returned, and Bali smiled.

"You make quite the speeches. Are you sure you're not supposed to be Pharaoh?" He replied, amusement evident in his voice. Bali calmed down from her fiery rant and put her hands on his bare shoulders.

"_That's _the Atem I know. You've been making everyone worried, especially me. So I came in here to kick your butt around a little. Lo and behold, you come around!" Bali explained, and promptly grabbed his hand and began to drag him out of his room.

"Bali, ha ha, wait! Bali, I'm not dressed, and I need to take a bath!" Atem laughed, and Bali stopped to look. Her eyes widened as she realized.

"O-oh, sorry about that! I was just so energized by the fact that you were finally going to get your act together! I'll be waiting with the guardians in the throne room, okay?" Bali stuttered slightly, and ran out quickly to leave the embarrassing moment. Once she had left, she went down the hall a ways before leaning against the wall. Her face was slightly heated and her heart pounded loudly in her ears.

"What is wrong with me? You've seen shirtless men before and they didn't fluster you like this! Maybe I'm catching a cold. I'll have to go see a healer." She thought, having never felt so dreadfully awful before. And yet, it kind of felt like something happy.

* * *

><p>Atem stood there in his kilt wondering what exactly had just happened. Bali had acted strange.<p>

"Really strange. She looked flushed, I hope she isn't getting sick. I'll have her go see a healer." He thought, and walked back to go to a special sanctuary that held a giant pool of water, clean and fed by the Nile. This was his new washroom, except for the fact that it was outside.

"Who needs a bath this big? I bet the water is really cold too." Atem muttered, staring at the calm water with a grimace. He sighed and undressed despite those thoughts. Once he was settled, the water wasn't all that cold. Servants came with towels, clothes, oils and soaps almost instantly, and Atem got to bathing quickly so Bali wouldn't get even more angry at him for taking so long.

"Pharaoh Atem, do you need help getting out?" one asked once Atem was finished and completely rinsed off. Atem looked at the ledge, and decided he probably would injure himself if he tried.

"Yes." He answered, and was pulled up. After being dried off and getting clothes on, he had to go back into another room to don his ornaments and such **(basically, he's wearing everything from Millennium World and Dawn of the Duel, whichever you've seen)**. His outfit was complete once his cape was pulled on and the Millennium Puzzle slipped around his neck.

Out he walked, and whenever he crossed someone, he was hailed with bows and praises. Atem only nodded and kept moving. The actions made him miserable inside, because no one could treat him like a normal person anymore.

Bali was almost moved to impatience when Atem arrived, receiving a double door entrance into the throne room. Everyone watched as he came in, but instead of walking directly to the throne (this being his own throne, having already been made years ago, His father's is going to be buried soon.), he walked right up to Bali.

"Sorry I took so long." He apologized and Bali grinned.

"You almost took too long. But I suppose you're still getting used to all of this funny business, huh?" Bali inquired, and Atem rolled his eyes.

"You don't know the half of it." He answered, and the members of his court watched in stunned silence at their somewhat normal, happy exchange of words.

"Pharaoh, Lady Bali, are you two alright?" Isis asked finally, and the two looked to her and realized that everyone thought they were disrespecting the death of Atem's father by acting so joyously.

"We're both fine, and I have something to tell all of you guardians that my father expressed to Bali and I." Atem stated, and he lightly took Bali's hand and pulled her along as he went up to his throne. Bali's heart leaped to her throat for a moment before she forcefully pushed it back down. The weird feeling made Bali anxious for her health. All turned to hear what Atem had to say, as the new Pharaoh unwittingly still gripped Bali's hand.

"All of you are right to mourn my father, but both Bali and are were there to witness his final wishes. I do not lie when I tell you this; My father, Pharaoh Akhnemkhanen wants us all to be happy, and to celebrate the days we all have with each other! Those who died in this recent war have wished the same thing for their sacrifices. Please, let us celebrate Pharaoh Akhnemkhanen's time among us, and also celebrate his passing into the afterlife with happiness! In his last moments, he said that he would now forever be able to protect and watch over all of us! And as a dear friend said to me this morning: "You need to stand up on your own two legs." That is true for all of us, so please. Rest your tears. My father does not need them." Atem spoke, and everyone had been moved to tears (except for Bali, who was smiling widely and staring up at him) during the speech, but by the end were wiping them away and smiling as well.

"Eloquently said, Pharaoh." Bali said, a hint of mocking in her voice. Atem turned his head and shook his head with a small smile.

"I'd say it moved the crowds effectively." He replied, and Bali laughed lightly. Both began to get engrossed in small talk until a question popped up.

"Your highness, Lady Bali, why are you holding hands?" Seth pointed out, and the two looked down and quickly withdrew their hands. Bali glared at Seth, who was smirking victoriously as if he knew something.

"I'm gonna get you, you pig!" Bali mouthed to him, which everyone saw, but Seth pretended that he didn't.

"Th-that was nothing." Atem covered, and Bali was sort of glad he was pharaoh now, so no one could bring it up again. Though the look in Seth's eyes told Bali that he was going to confront her about it. Atem sat on his throne and there was an order for chairs to be brought in for the guardians, as well as a chair next to the throne for Bali. Slaves brought them promptly, and all were seated so Atem could begin a meeting with his court.

"I am glad all of you are coping with all of these sudden changes. Hopefully rebuilding around the border has for the most part been dealt with." Atem started, though the end of his sentence held the lilt of a question. Shada stood and raised his hand slightly.

"We have received messages from every village attacked saying that they needed no more support from the palace or the military." He announced, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief for that. Atem nodded.

"Good. Is the ship ready to set sail yet?" Atem asked, referring to the vessel that would carry his father over the Nile and to his tomb. The ritual was sacred, and everything had to be perfect so the Pharaoh would properly gain access to the afterlife.

"The ceremony will begin by this time tomorrow." Karim answered. Everyone seemed to take a big breath to calm themselves.

"The palace is already set with tight security for everything." Mahad announced afterwards, and the room was silent.

"Has crime outside the palace and throughout the kingdom seem to have risen since the passing of Pharaoh Akhnemkhanen?" Bali threw out there, and the elders standing in a corner watching the meeting (Seshat, Miknodhma, Akhenaden and Shimon) approved greatly of her question.

"Fortunately, there have been no major uprisings. But since you have brought up the matter, I shall increase the patrolling of the mehdji." Seth replied, which was a good enough answer for everyone. Bali slightly cringed at the word mehdji.

"Why did I have that mark in the first place if it was just going to turn into this?" Bali asked herself, looking at the Mark of Ra on her wrist.

"Look on your other wrist, Kitten." Ra sounded suddenly, and Bali switched to see that her old mark was appearing on her alternate wrist. Atem noticed her surprised expression, and everyone else noted her features as well once Atem turned to her.

"Bali, what's wrong?" He asked, and Bali showed him her wrist.

"The mark of the mehdji? When did you get that?" Atem asked further, and Bali gazed around at the surprised expressions throughout the room.

"I'll speak to you privately later." Bali finalized, but the mystified glints in all of their eyes didn't disappear.

"Ra, why the hell did you do that?" Bali growled. Ra shrugged.

"You sounded like you missed it. Besides, technically, you're part of the mehdji now. You've definitely protected Egypt quite a bit. I guess hating Egypt is getting to be quite the task, huh?" Ra teased, and Bali yelled at him to get out, all the while keeping straight face on her physical features. Atem settled everyone down and away from Bali's new mark, respecting her wish for privacy. The meeting went on no longer than five minutes, and the group adjourned to see to their separate duties.

"My king, you have done well so far. I am sure that your father is proud." Shimon praised, and Bali could see Atem visibly relax at the compliment.

"Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me, Bali and I have an important topic to talk about. If anything of consequence happens, send one of the maids. They know everything." Atem ordered, and Shimon laughed.

"Of course." He replied, and raised his right hand and bowed. Bali and Atem were soon left alone in the large throne room.

"Our sanctuary?" Bali suggested, and Atem nodded. Unknown to each other, they both made sure they didn't hold hands this time.

* * *

><p><strong>Can I just say that Atem and Bali are adorable? Well, Atem is Pharaoh. I know it seems kind of sudden, but that's the point. <strong>

**Did anyone catch the 'Lion King' quote? I don't own that movie, Disney does! If you didn't, try and find it quick, or ask me through a review! **

**We'll finally get out of this death trench now, so we can get to our wonderful couple! Please review, please please please! I want, need and absolutely crave feedback! For those who have reviewed before, I hope you keep doing so, and thanks so much for reading!**


	20. I Have You

**Hey everyone! This chapter's a bit of a doozy, but I like it... Especially at the end...**

**I don't own YGO! or anything else that obviously isn't mine! **

**A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT! The-Living-Shadow has produced a lovely picture of our dear Bali, in which I am very pleased to say looks freakin' SWEET! The link is on her profile, so don't ask me about any of that stuff. I'm no good with computers ^^; Also... THANKS FOR GETTING THIS STORY OVER 100 REVIEWS! CAPS LOCK CANNOT EXPRESS MY EXTREME JOY! (It's supposed to be fangirly joy, but I figured my joy isn't exactly that of a fangirl, and more as an author. Maybe authorly joy?) Keep up the reviewing, for I am pleased with some of the feedback I'm getting... **

**Well, here's today's FUN FACT!: Airheadninja is going to major in archaeology so she can learn more relevant FUN FACTS! for you all. I have a feeling you guys aren't interested in the fact that coffee steam has more antioxidants than three oranges.**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

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><p>Bali and Atem sat in their normal spots at the river, their cats sitting on their laps comfortably.<p>

"Is there something wrong with having the mark of the Mehdji?" Atem asked, and Bali shook her head.

"It's not like that. You see, back in my own time, I had this mark originally. The mark of Ra replaced it, and I had guessed that the Mehdji meant nothing after all. But Ra made it appear on my wrist again because he said that I'm part of the mehdji anyway. Is that true?" Bali elaborated, and Atem nodded in understanding.

"Well, yes. You guarded Egypt, which means guarding my father and I. You were in the informant group, who were all mehdji themselves. You plan on furthering that group, don't you?" Atem asked for clarification, and Bali wavered her hand.

"I don't know. I don't think I could train them correctly at all. I don't know if you want me galloping all over the country, given how worried you were when I finally came back." Bali pointed out, and Atem blushed slightly. It was the truth; he didn't want Bali away from the palace.

"Or away from me." He thought, and breathed deeply to rid himself of the blush and fast-moving heartbeat.

"Don't worry about those things. The mark of the mehdji is not misplaced. I can have you stay here and lead the mehdji with Mahad. Sound like a deal?" Atem suggested, and Bali nodded.

"Bali, are you okay? You look tired." Atem remarked after seeing her yawn widely.

"Yeah, I haven't gotten a lot of sleep these past few days. I don't have nightmares, but I keep waking up and staying that way just thinking about all of the stupid things I've done." Bali confided, pausing in her stroking of Ameniphus, who was purring loudly in his sleep.

"The next time this happens, come see me. I don't care what time it is. Nobody blames you for their deaths, Bali." Atem told her, taking her hand up in his.

"I know that, but there are other things I've done, Atem. I've killed people before without knowing who they were or what life they had outside that one situation. I can't help but think of all that I've taken away, that I can never give back. Hell, even that bastard George Corman must have had someone special waiting for him at home, like a wife and children." Bali said, smiling wistfully at the thought. Atem slowly sounded out George Corman and asked who he was.

"He's the man that forced me to take the Trial of Ra so he could gain Ra's power. He threatened to kill my teacher. Seriously, my own partner who I thought was my friend betrayed me. Life just sucks for me, doesn't it?" Bali ranted quietly, scratching the back of her neck, acting nonchalant.

"That's not true. Everything you've said is not true. You may have done those terrible things, but isn't that why Ra sent you here in the first place? Not only that, but Bali, you've given all of the people pride and hope. You've saved them. And you know what?" Atem asked heatedly, and Bali stared at him in surprise. Atem's face softened into a gentle smile.

"You've given me something better than anything else in the world."

"What?"

"Bali, I l-"

"PHARAOH! Your presence is needed to bless the ship!" A voice called, though the person had no idea where Atem actually was. It was just a general calling. Atem swallowed his words, his moment ruined. He cleared his throat. He picked At off of his lap and stood.

"Wait, what were you going to say?" Bali inquired, standing and catching his shoulder before he could run off. Atem turned with a smile.

"You're my best friend! I wish I could elaborate, but apparently this is an urgent matter. I'll talk to you later!" Atem covered, and Bali let him go and watched him run around the corner.

"I feel like he wanted to say something else. But, maybe that's because he wanted to explain some qualities about me before he came right out and said it. That would make sense." Bali thought aloud, and At sounded at her feet. Bali was holding the still sleepy Ameniphus in her arms, and she bent down and set the kitten on his feel. At took the scruff of fur behind the kitten's head and walked off with him.

"I swear, those cats are smarter than all of us." Bali mumbled amused. Bali loved cats. She had always loved them, even before her obsession with Egypt when she was smaller. Egypt really had only enhanced her love for them, seeing as they were so important.

"_Are_ so important. Sometimes I forget I'm living the dream."

...

Atem, on the other hand, couldn't believe he nearly told her how he felt.

"You could have ruined everything, you dolt! You can't say it until you know she won't say no!" Atem scolded himself, and slowed so he would make an appropriate entrance, as his image as Pharaoh required elegance. He walked into the throne room calmly, just as his father had taught him to do.

"Your highness! The ship is ready, all it needs is your blessing before we can properly adorn it." Karim elaborated, and Atem understood fully. Karim gave him a curious look.

"Why didn't you bring Lady Bali along? I'm sure her presence would greatly help the ship in arriving at its destination." He said, and Atem shuffled his feet nervously. Only Karim knew that he was in love with Bali, and Atem knew that Karim was being sneaky in his own way.

"How id you know I was with her?"

"The maids know everything, your highness. We'd best be getting to the ship, however. It seems that if we keep the focus through the night, we'll be able to have the ceremony earlier."

"Oh." And off they went to the docks set on the Nile.

* * *

><p>"I don't see anything wrong with you, Lady Bali. You are in perfect health. Your heart is strong and in top condition. I'm sorry I couldn't help more." Mahad apologized, after examining her. Bali sat in shock over what he said.<p>

"How can all of that happen without there being something wrong with me?" She asked herself, gripping the hem of her skirt.

"Thank you Mahad. I don't know if Pharaoh informed you, but we're going to be leading the mehdji as a team." Bali informed, holding up her wrist. Mahad smiled.

"That's wonderful. You're very deserving of such a post. I'm glad I don't have to do this on my own." Mahad complimented truthfully, and Bali nodded her head happily.

"I'm glad you don't disapprove. Well, I have to be going now, thank you for your time!"

"It is no problem. If something happens, come see me, alright?" Mahad reminded her, and Bali waved at him without turning around, a sign that she had listened.

Bali was heading for her room, because she hadn't really spent a lot of time in it for awhile, and she felt that a nap would probably do her some good. Her talk with Atem made her feel much better than she did. Then again, her talks with Atem always made her feel better for some reason. Bali couldn't fathom why he made such a difference. In fact, Bali figured that if anyone else had tried to talk to her the same way, she would have blown them off.

"That's weird. Maybe he just has a way with words that I just pay attention to more. I don't know." Bali figured, but it still didn't make sense. And with these strange happenings around him where she felt sick, awkward or embarrassed, there had to be something up with him.

"Wait a second... He's not trying to pull a prank on me, is he? If he is, that moron has another thing coming!" Bali growled, a light bulb **(seeing as she's from the future) **popping on in her head. She wasn't about to go tumbling after him however, seeing as she was still determined to have that nap.

"Kitten, you've calmed down more, but whenever you're angry, you seem to be more intense than before. Are you getting ready to go on your monthly?" Ra asked curiously, concerned with the way Bali's aura had been growing in her anger. Bali shrugged, but shook her head.

"I don't see what you're talking about. And I just finished a couple of days ago." Bali told him, though for once she wasn't spiteful, which Ra was grateful for. Ra bid her farewell to keep his thoughts to himself. Up in the heavens, he watched the desert stretch before his eyes on the earth below.

"It's true that I planted it inside of her, but it shouldn't be growing so rapidly. Eventually, Bali will have to learn to control it, and it will be her greatest task yet." Ra said to himself, calculating his plans before someone sprang from a flash of light.

"Father, when is Bali going to join us here? You told me before that I would soon have a sister!" Ma'at exclaimed, her radiant beauty making her glow as an added effect. One could see similarities between them. And if one compared Bali with Ma'at with Bali, they would have made an astonishing discovery. Luckily, no living man had ever glimpsed Ma'at knowingly, and therefore nobody could see...

Ra smiled.

"Ma'at, she will be here sooner than I had expected. Now leave me, I must meet with Horus." Ra ordered, and Ma'at bowed her head with a brilliant smile.

"Of course father."

* * *

><p>The ship was ready, and Bali rose from her nightly slumber with sudden memories plaguing her mind.<p>

"Lady Bali, here are your garments for the ceremony these next few days. Su and I are coming with you to make sure you are kept clean." Mery stated, guiding the still muddled Bali to the washroom.

"I'm glad to see that you've slept well. Tell me; is anything going on between you and the Pharaoh?" Mery ventured to ask, and Bali shook her head.

"No, we're getting along fine. Why, did somebody think we had a fight or something?"

Mery sighed with a slight giggle.

"Well, I thought maybe you were laying awake thinking about something of that sort. That's all." Mery covered, trying to not to laugh at Bali's clueless behavior.

"Atem and I didn't fight, anyways. I was just awake thinking. Thank you for the concern though." Bali yawned, and quickly got ready for Pharaoh Akhnemkhanen's journey to his tomb. Su was there, but quiet, her heart still heavy from her loss. Before Bali went out (she was dressed the way she had been for the feast the night she had arrived) she caught Su's shoulder while Mery was off doing something. Bali looked into the maid's eyes with a gentle smile.

"He protected me bravely up in Syria. He was a good man, and he'll always want you to have every happiness." Bali said softly, and Su nodded, tears escaping her eyes.

"I know, right?" She mumbled, smiling slightly before starting to sob. Su dropped to the floor, and Bali just rubbed her arms in comfort. Mery came back and immediately took care of everything.

"You need to go, Lady Bali. Do not worry, we will be on the ship on time." Mery called to Bali as Bali stood to leave. Bali pulled the door aside to find Seth standing there, about to knock. He put his hand down and the two glared at each other. Eventually however, they began walking, seeing as they couldn't be late.

"So what has given me the honor of your presence, Seth?" Bali asked, keeping her voice low so she would sound mean.

"I wanted to talk to you about the way you've been acting around the Pharaoh, Lady Bali. The thing is, I'm just curious as to when you started acting like that. I thought you didn't like to act like a woman." Seth teased, a smirk easing onto his face.

"Pharaoh needed support at that moment, and it was his doing, not mine. I wouldn't want to upset the ruler of this country."

"True. But why were both of you so embarrassed when I pointed it out? If Pharaoh had planned it, shouldn't he have been less surprised?"

"He probably just forgot because he was making an important speech. And I was surprised because he had forgotten, and embarrassed that we had to have such an important moment ruined by such a rude comment." Bali replied, leering over at the priest something fierce. Seth chuckled a little.

"I made that comment simply because it was distracting everyone from listening, somewhat. I didn't want Pharaoh's words to be wasted."

"... Jackass."

Seth smirked in victory, but their conversation was joined by Isis and Seshat.

"Lady Bali, Seth! Do you mind if we walk with you?" Isis asked with a smile.

"Of course." Bali answered, not caring if Seth had another opinion.

The group engaged in small talk (Seth even bothered to make comment every now and then) and arrived at the front of the palace, where open palanquins were waiting for them. Shada, Karim, and Shimon had gotten there only moments before, and were already getting ready to move out. Bali felt awkward when sitting there, watching the people of Egypt stare in awe and follow in a parade so that they could also pay their respects to their former king. When the group got to the ship, Bali was amazed at the artistry and care the craftsman had put into decorating it. It truly was fit for such a king as Akhnemkhanen. Bali's group was the last that needed to come, and Atem himself rode up to Bali, got off of his horse and helped her go from the palanquin to the horse.

"Why couldn't I have just brought Bit?" Bali asked him, finding it pointless to just be put on a horse anyway. Atem slid on in front of her and turned with a grin.

"Because I want you with me!" He replied quietly, and kicked his horse forward and up the ramp onto the ship. Bali didn't really _have_ to wrap her arms around his middle and hang on for dear life, but she found herself doing that anyway. And she couldn't help but feel comfortable. Atem had cheers in his ears at her action. His plan had worked. Bali would only hang on to him if she really trusted him, since he wasn't galloping off like a madman. He didn't exactly mind the feeling of her arms around him. In fact, he almost didn't want it to end, but the ceremony is for his father. Atem didn't want to be selfish, seeing as his father was his hero in his eyes.

Atem turned his horse, and told Bali she could get off. He was surprised when she refused.

"I'm up here now, and I've got your back. I figure you're gonna need some support." Bali argued, but did withdraw her arms. Atem muttered his thanks but cleared his throat to address the crowd.

"People of Egypt, we are gathered to send off my father, a great king to the afterlife, in hope that he shall protect Egypt alongside the gods!" Atem started, and Bali was amazed at his strong and powerful voice. Usually he was somewhat quiet, despite being a trickster. Bali nodded her head.

"He really is suited to be king." She thought, and Ra agreed instantly.

The ceremony was mostly prayers to different gods and the like, with incense burning and the like. The people amassed around the dock seemed to span far back.

"There's definitely more people than the population of Thebes. They love Akhnemkhanen quite a bit. And I'll bet that they're going to be just as loyal to Atem." Bali thought, after prayers were finally over. It was time to get ready to set out. It would take until morning to get to the Valley of the Kings, which was normal and part of Akhnemkhanen's passing. After the ship started to leave, all but the priests were put to rest. The guardians, Atem and Bali were going to be housed stern-side of the ship. Bali would be sharing a compartment with Seshat and Isis. Atem, of course, had one to himself.

Atem was staring over the side of the ship at sunset, having already settled into his room. Bali emerged from her below and walked over to join him. She leaned on the railing in the same fashion as he. There was silence for the most part, as Bali relished the cool wind of the Nile, and enjoyed looking at the landscape.

"I can't believe he's gone. I still can't believe he's gone." Atem murmured sadly, a wistful smile spreading onto his lips. Bali glanced over at him and leaned more to find a comfortable position.

"We'll all get used to it. I eventually got used to having my mother gone, and having my father shun me before sending me to boarding school." Bali replied, and Atem shot her a sideways glance.

"What is boarding school?"

"Basically a living hell, except with learning."

"Ah. Shouldn't that learning be part of 'hell?'" he asked amused, and Bali chuckled.

"Not in this case. Contradictory to the fact that my teachers were hell-bent on making our lives miserable, they did give me life skills and taught me many things. I wouldn't be here if I weren't learned enough."

"I thought you were naturally intelligent."

"You and me both. Now I realize that I wouldn't be here without any of those things happening. And I can't say I'm not grateful. I mean..." Bali explained, but stopped to sort through her words. Atem met her gaze, and she smiled a genuinely lovely smile.

"I have you."

* * *

><p><strong>So cute! I'm writing this story and I'm squealing like a fan girl myself! But might Bali have anything to add to her recent statement? <strong>

**Let's all say farewell to Akhnemkhanen's soul! BYE!**

**Also, I hope you all know who the mehdji are... Perhaps I shall explain in the next chapter.**

**Right, so review... Just because we're over 100 doesn't mean I don't want feedback. Feed my brain, it craves sustenance! Thanks for reading and please keep coming back for more!**


	21. Party Time!

**And now, the moment you've all been waiting for! Bali said something pseudo-romantic, and that's gotten everyone riled up, even Atem! Let's see what happens!**

**I don't own YGO! or anything else that can't possibly be mine.**

**FUN FACT!: Pharaohs each got their own individual thrones, custom made just for them! When he died, his throne would be buried with him to sit on in the afterlife! His names would be inscribed on it, as well. Yes, names. The Pharaoh had a given name, a nick-name, and a throne name given by the gods. The nick-name was never inscribed, obviously.**

**Enjoy, because I'm sure you like it...**

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><p>Atem's heart was beating faster than he thought possible. His cheeks were hot, and his back rigid.<p>

"I mean, you're my best friend, and you've helped me through a lot of the tough times. Of course, I don't think my old teachers meant me to have such a wonderful person to be friends with, much less a king. I'm grateful to Ra for giving me that." Bali finished, and Atem's heart nearly stopped. Bali stared at his motionless form, curious as to why he looked like he was in pain.

"Are you okay? Maybe you're the one who needs to see a healer." Bali stated, staring at the water once more. It was getting relatively dark, so torches would be lit soon so the priests could effectively continue their prayers.

"I am fine. For a second there, I thought you were going to say something else." Well, it was the truth. Atem was only initially surprised though. When he thought about it, it made sense that she had said he was her best friend.

"Seeing as I told her that she was mine." He thought, remembering his embarrassing moment.

"Oh. Okay, if that's all. You know, I actually wouldn't mind learning how to dance. I just wish I could teach someone something." Bali complained, changing the subject to a slightly less awkward one. Atem's eyes widened.

"You could teach me how to dance!" He offered suddenly, and Bali began to giggle.

"Your enthusiasm astounds me. Usually men of this time would find dancing stupid."

"Ah, but you're talking about dances from your time. Men do dance in your time right?" Atem asked, slightly worried that he might be doing something embarrassing because Bali wanted to prank him.

"Yes they do, especially the ones I'm talking about. In fact, you can't dance them without a man and a woman." Bali stated, and Atem breathed a sigh of relief. Bali sucked up her courage for her next question.

"Hey, Atem? Have you pulled any pranks lately? You know, gone back to your old self for a little reminiscing?" Bali asked, getting around to the strange, sickly feelings that had been coming on, even right in this current conversation.

"No, not at all. I promise, I've been very focused on everything around me." Atem answered truthfully, thinking that Bali was suspicious of him slacking off. Bali's shoulder drooped slightly because she knew he wasn't lying.

"Great, something _is _wrong with me." Bali grumbled quietly.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing! Today has left me really tired, so if you don't mind, I'm going to get some sleep. You shouldn't stay up too late either." Bali wrapped up, walking away and waving before Atem could protest. Atem watched her go with a small, sad smile.

And it was sad because he couldn't tell her how much he loved her.

* * *

><p>Bali got into the cabin, closed the door and leaned on it as she closed her eyes, put her hand over her heart and tilted her head back.<p>

"Is everything all right?" Seshat asked kindly from her cot. Isis sat next to her, helping her mother thread a needle for embroidering. Bali was alert again and went to sit on her cot with a sigh.

"Yeah, I just really think something's wrong with me. Oh well. Maybe I'm just tired." Bali yawned, getting herself ready for nighttime. Mery and Su had left out her nightwear on her cot to change into. Bali thought it strange that she hadn't seen them for a moment, but shrugged it off.

"Lady Bali, have you been feeling... sick? As in, your stomach feels strange and your face heats up randomly?" Isis asked suddenly, and Bali's eyes snapped to hers at the description of her strange illness. Bali walked over and sat next to Isis. Seshat had a knowing smile while she embroidered, but Bali paid her no mind. Isis turned to face her and took her hands and pretended to really find out what the Millennium Necklace had to show. Isis, of course, already knew what was going on, as did Seshat, who had seen the vision as well.

"You're fine, Lady Bali. It will all make sense in time, and I promise you that you'll be glad when it is resolved. Unfortunately, I cannot directly reveal the future. You understand." Isis elaborated, and Bali nodded quickly with a joyful gleam in her eyes.

"Thank you, now I don't have to worry so much!" Bali cheered, but yawned immediately after that and stumbled back to her cot.

"Good night, dear friends." Bali called over her shoulder, as she pulled the sheet over herself and closed her eyes to sleep.

...

The next morning found everyone awake and saying prayers themselves. They had arrived, and were now in the procession to Akhnemkhanen's tomb. He was carried in first, and then everything was situated around him, and all the while priests sang aloud praises and prayers. It actually was quite impressive, especially the tomb itself. The walls were painted gloriously with stories of the people's fondness of him, and his triumphs. It was obvious that he was a Pharaoh well loved by his people. Bali sneaked peeks around at anything every chance she could, her inner archaeologist still a lit fire in her soul.

"If Dr. O'Connell ever heard about my adventures, she would flip out most definitely." Bali thought, once again thinking of her old teacher. It didn't take long for everything to get situated, and everyone had to remove themselves from the tomb. Bali got her last glances of the entrance before letting the priests and workers seal the tomb up with a great stone door. Everyone sat thinking about all that had just happened.

"Akhnemkhanen... Just you wait and see. Atem will probably be even greater than you were. No offense." Bali muttered, her final words as she set her stick of strong incense near the entrance and backed away so the others could follow suit. They prayed some more, and everything finished with a ringing note from the ballad the priests sang. Atem smiled.

"Now everyone, we must get back to the palace! My father would not want me to be slacking off too long. And if that goes for me, that goes for the rest of you!" Atem cheered, and everyone chorused their agreement. All were headed back to the boat, but Atem noticed that Bali had stayed behind, still where the group had been. She was staring at the sky. He told everyone to keep on going ahead and to ready the ship and to prepare a meal. Then he lagged behind and went to Bali.

"Talking to someone?" He asked amused, but Bali turned with a sad smile.

"No, just thinking about my mom. Silly, I know."

"No, not really. You've been thinking of her all this time, and I'm sure going into the tomb just brought back memories. But you know what I think? I think that we need to focus on the here and now. Right?" Atem opinionated, and Bali nodded, linking arms with him. Atem had never really linked arms with anyone, so he was curious at the action. He voiced his curiosity, naturally.

"Oh, it's just something that we do in the future. Nothing to worry about." Bali brushed him off, feeling that pleasantly sick-type of grossness crop up again. Isis' words comforted her however, and she was able to live with it. In fact she started to embrace it as a happy feeling.

Both meandered back to the ship at their own pace, a comfortable and companionable silence surrounding them. When they were closer to the ship, the guardians were waiting for them to arrive, and Seth got that teasing look in his eyes once more. Bali glared in his direction but stopped because Atem began to speak.

"Is anything wrong?"

"No your highness, we just felt that you had more right than us to board the ship first." Shimon answered, and Atem grinned.

"How unnecessary, but quite considerate. Let's go up then, shall we?" Atem inquired, though it was mostly directed at Bali.

"I should have to say so. We are supposed to make our way back so we can celebrate your kingship." Bali replied, mimicking his astute royal tone. Atem laughed and they both stepped off.

All of the guardians were surprised that they weren't courting yet. They acted like it and it was hilarious to see. Well, think about it: Atem likes Bali, and Bali likes Atem, but Bali doesn't really know that she likes Atem yet. The funny part was, was that Atem didn't know it either! Even though Karim is the only one who knows the concrete fact, it wasn't hard for the rest of the guardians to figure it out.

All in all, they were a comical couple, to be sure.

* * *

><p>Getting back to the palace was uneventful, but full of friendly conversation. Atem was too busy conversing with Shimon and Akhenaden to really get a chance to spend time with Bali. Bali was in the same rut, as she was learning the basics of Egyptian embroidery from Seshat and Isis. But getting back at nightfall meant they had made good time, and Bali had gotten the basics down, for the most part. Her fingers had been pricked so many times that her hands almost looked mummified themselves.<p>

"Perhaps you are more suited to being a warrior than a housewife." Isis giggled as they traveled off the ship and to the palanquins that would carry them back. Bali stared at her hands and sighed with shame.

"I guess you're right. I'll keep practicing though." Bali directed towards Seshat, who nodded approvingly.

"I thought you weren't supposed to be like normal women. Are you going to learn how to dance too?" Seth yelled, having heard the conversation. Bali shot him a glare and told him to shut up. Everyone started laughing, remembering the night Bali had arrived.

Atem felt the best right then. Everyone was together and feeling happy. All conversation was in good fun, and there were no qualms between any of them. They were his new family, and he was proud of it.

...

That evening's feast was wondrous indeed, a celebration held for one last honor for Akhnemkhanen. The former Pharaoh had always loved food and music, so it was perfect. Bali got tipsy on date wine and got into a hysterical debate with Seth, while Atem's closest friends laughed and joked.

"There was nothing to fear in being king. You were right, father." Atem thought, and joined full fledged into the argument of Bali and Seth. It went late into the night, and there were no problems anyone had with that.

* * *

><p>Getting up was the main problem for Bali, and she was extremely regretful that she had gotten drunk again.<p>

"Lady Bali, It's time to get up! The Pharaoh is being officially announced today, and you're too important to skip out! Pharaoh Atem will be here to escort you in an hour!" Su chirped frantically, having gone back to her normal self thanks to Mery and her wisdom. Bali groaned but sat up. She rubbed her face slowly, but slid onto her feet.

"Right. Let's get dressed then." Bali moped, and made her way to the washroom. Mery immediately gave Bali a tonic.

"It's from Master Mahad. He says it will help with the after effects of drinking." Mery explained at Bali's puzzled look. Bali didn't need to hear another word as she pulled the stopper and gulped it down. She swallowed and gasped with a look of disgust.

"That was gross beyond all reason." Bali yelped, but started to feel better within minutes.

Washed up and outfitted in something more lovely than usual, Bali waited for Atem to arrive. She was reading on a cushion when there was a knock. Bali sprang up and rushed to the door. The maids looked to each other in surprise. They had never seen her so excited to see him before.

"Atem!" Bali cheered, and they could hear the Pharaoh laugh lightly. The door shut and off they went.

...

Atem had a plan. A pretty good plan, that Mahad, Mana, Isis and Karim were in on. Atem had invited ladies from throughout Egypt to join in the celebration at the palace. He wasn't looking for someone special. He was going to be looking to see if Bali got jealous. Mana had expressed at one point that jealousy was sometimes a tell-tale sign that there was someone in love. So Atem got the brilliant idea to see if Bali would get jealous, and he and the others would look out for it.

When he escorted Bali down, the look on her face was priceless with surprise as she saw all of the women in the throne room. She looked up at Atem with almost incredulous concern. Atem gave a smug smile to wave it off and Bali stood while Atem kept going. Her mouth was open slightly in shock, and almost anger.

"What is he trying to pull? I don't care if he's looking for someone to marry, but seriously? This soon?" Bali's mind ran like a motor. Everyone who cared to watch her knew she was steamed. A couple of the women in the throne room walked up with sly smiles.

"Look at her, getting special attention from the Pharaoh!"

"She doesn't look all that womanly with that sword on her hip!"

"And look at those bandages! Someone doesn't even know how to embroider well." They barraged.

Bali couldn't believe what was happening.

* * *

><p><strong>Nyah-haha, I have made you all slightly angry! No worries, Atem thinks he's extremely smart with this complicated plan. The only reason he can carry it out is because he's so powerful. <strong>

**The next chapter will be all fun and cuteness, and also something that I have been planning on doing for a long time now.**

**Review review review as always, it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading and stick around for next time.**


	22. The King and I

**Hey everyone, I'm writing this chapter to get some stress out. My grandma (who I'm very close with) is dying, and I'm here spending some time with her while she can still somewhat function normally. Thanks everyone for being patient and supportive, you're all awesome. **

**Something arose however that saddened me. Anonymous reviewers, I received quite a few negative statements that were insensitive and moronic. I'm compelled to turn off anonymous reviewing. I know you didn't know exactly about my grandma, but still... You're lucky that I'm feeling gracious, and I also realize that you bother me because you love the story, and I appreciate that. Just remember that I'm quite human and emotional myself.**

**ANYWAYS! Everyone will enjoy this chapter. I guarantee it! I love this chapter! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!**

**FUN FACT!: Some of the great pyramids were built wrong, and therefore have somewhat collapsed. The ones at Giza are pretty stable, but there are others that crumbled slightly as soon as they were built! The only one I can think of right now is the great Red Pyramid, the last faulty one before the awesome ones were built!**

**I don't own YGO! or The King and I. They're both wonderful, but not because they're mine.  
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**ENJOY! (I know you will ;)**

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><p>"How rude! Do they even know who just saved all their asses? Dammit!" Bali stormed in her mind, and just pushed past the ladies (who in reality were quite jealous of Bali, for they couldn't compare to her in beauty andor status) and headed right for the throne where Atem was sitting.

"What are you doing?" Bali demanded in a hushed tone, and Atem smiled innocently.

"Well, I told you that I would have this 'wife' thing taken care of. Those women who just made fun of you are going to be escorted out immediately. I can't have anyone so petty as to insult my best friend." He explained nonchalantly, thinking that she was angry about the confrontation. Bali face-palmed.

"I don't care about that, I can handle myself. I've been a woman for awhile now, I think I can handle jealous bitches. What the hell are you trying to prove? I didn't think you were this much of a womanizer!" Bali growled, trying extremely hard to keep her voice down. Atem finally frowned at this.

"I am not. Do you see me ogling every single girl here?" Atem inquired, pretending to be hurt.

"It's only been a few minutes. I should give you some time."

"Thanks for your confidence." Atem sniffed, and Bali put her hands on her hips and sighed.

"Seriously, I don't mind that you're grasping the situation, but don't you think that today should be a more natural celebratory event? I mean, I thought you would know that coincidences are found better on the street or something, not in a whole flood of girls who secretly all want to kill each other for you." Bali elaborated, her expression that of concern and worry instead of jealousy. Atem couldn't believe his eyes and ears. He sat up properly. He still had to try...

"Oh... I'm sorry Bali. But let me ask you... are you jealous at all?" He asked, successfully keeping his grin and blush away as he saw her face turn red. The glint finally showed itself for a moment.

"Shut up, it's only because you... gah!" Bali failed, not coming up with any good counterargument. By this time, everyone had begun to stare at them, and Bali sighed, gaining control again (though her heart was still going fast). Mahad, Mana, Isis, and Karim were shaking their heads and trying not to laugh.

"So, how am I supposed to send all of these wonderful ladies home, hm? They're not going to want to leave." Atem prodded, siting forward on his throne, peering up at Bali with innocent interest.

"We never really had that sword fight from awhile back. That'd scare the crap out of them."

"That's true. Well, shall we go at it? Are we angry or just having fun with it?"

"A small mix of both? I don't know. I'm pretty angry right now." Bali answered, their discussion a calm and cool one. Had they really been paying attention to what they were saying, they'd be laughing their butts off. But apparently it was just too serious to really notice.

"Ready?" Atem asked, standing with feet carefully placed. Bali smirked.

"Oh yeah."

Bali drew her sword with lightning speed, but despite this factor Atem's blade clashed with hers. The uproar that followed was exactly what had been planned.

"That maniac woman is trying to kill the Pharaoh? Why isn't anyone doing anything?"

"I don't want to die too! Hurry everyone, get out of here!"

"Pharaoh Atem needs as much room to fight as possible! Move out!" Many screamed and they all raced to exit the palace. The throne room was empty in minutes. Thanks to Mahad, none of the other guardians or mehdji were freaking out over the random sword duel. Meanwhile, Bali and Atem were completely engrossed in their melee.

"You really do fight as well as a man!"

"Funny, I was about to say the same thing about you."

"Ouch, being nasty, are we?"

"Please, I can do much worse than that."

"Like what?" Atem challenged. Bali swept down and trip kicked him to the ground. She recovered quickly and put her blade to his throat.

"Like that." Bali breathed, but holding her blade at the ready. Atem put down his sword and put a hand up.

"Okay, you win. When did you learn to fight like that?" Atem asked, gratefully taking the helpful hand up that Bali offered. Bali gave him an upped eyebrow.

"I have been training with Seth and Akhenaden. Not to mention that I had to fight Isis, and you are nothing compared to her." Bali relayed, shuddering at her battle trial. Atem's eyes widened.

"You fought Isis? Did you win?" He asked rapidly in excitement, and Bali snorted.

"Of course not. She's a high power Goddess not some guy with weird hair."

"Hey, it's natural!"

"I never said it wasn't. It doesn't excuse the fact that it's weird though."

"So you don't like it?"

"Assuming stuff will put you in bad positions later in life, Atem. I never said I didn't like it either. It's your hair, flaunt it with power and pride."

"Oh... Right."

Bali shook her head at the conversation, but turned towards the approaching Mahad.

"Pharaoh, are you all right? Lady Bali, you really shouldn't do things like that." Mahad scolded, though he was smiling.

"I'm fine, the whole thing was planned anyway. I thought it was funny."

"Me too! Did you hear that one girl? She didn't want to die too!" Bali giggled, and Atem stood in disbelief.

"She seriously thought you would kill me? You have skill, but in a true death match I would win." Atem gloated, and Bali shrugged.

"I don't know, your sword skills are typical and predictable. What makes you say that?" Bali asked curiously, not spiteful at all.

"This," Atem hefted up his arm with pride.

"Is a Dyat-Dyankh. It can summon shadow creatures sealed away by the Millennium Items." He explained proudly, but Bali was inspecting it.

"And here I thought it was just for decoration. I won't ask you to demonstrate now, but I hope I'll get to see something like this in action." Bali said, and walked off to go speak to Isis. Atem took that opportunity to speak with Mahad.

"So, did any of you see anything besides her blatant rage? Our little experiment didn't go on that far, unfortunately." Atem inquired, and Mahad shook his head while smiling.

"She was pretty concerned. I think that means something." Mahad pointed out, and Atem truly began to analyze the statement, and walked off with his hand to his chin deep in thought.

"Hey, get back here!" Bali yelled, and Atem was jerked out of thinking and whipped around to see Bali standing amongst a group of musicians. She waved him over with a wide grin.

"What're you scheming now?" Atem asked, and Bali put her hands on her hips.

"I thought you wanted to learn how to dance like I do."

"I do!"

"Well then, this is a good time to start! Let's call it a coronation present from me to you." Bali stated with finality and went about talking to the musicians.

"I want to play something at this tempo." She instructed, and clapped her hands in a steady beat. It wasn't too fast or too slow, it seemed pretty standard. The musicians nodded, and of course they knew a proper song to play at that speed.

"I only want the four beats for now from the drum. I'll indicate when I want the whole group to start playing. Is that okay?" Bali instructed.

"Yes, Lady Bali!" they chorused happily, and Bali strutted over to Atem who stood awkwardly in the middle of the room.

"Well, the original style is supposed to have your arms around me, but it doesn't _have_ to be like that, I suppose." Bali mumbled quickly to herself, and Atem tilted his head curiously.

"Right! Take my hands..." Bali began, grabbing Atem's hands and putting them around her hands a certain way. She kept a comfortable distance between themselves. Bali nodded her head towards the drummer, who started playing a simple 4/4 quarter note beat at the tempo Bali had requested.

"Okay, so step like this..." Bali showed him, and soon they were going around and around to the practice metronome.

"Am I doing this right?" Atem asked gleefully and Bali nodded.

You're doing great! This is the one called the polka." Bali replied, but Atem stopped suddenly with a thoughtfully concerned expression on his face.

"But aren't we supposed to dance," He started, and put one arm on Bali's waist and placed her hand on his shoulder. He pulled her closer and gripped her hand.

"Like this?" He muttered, his eyes boring into hers with intensity.

"Yeah, I-I guess."

Atem smiled and ordered the musicians to play. The chorus of instruments sang through the air and the couple danced the polka. It might have looked strange at first to everyone watching, but soon everyone was clapping along to the beat and enjoying themselves.

...

Everyone was settled down to eat once the musicians finished the last dance. Now they played in the background, light melodies that wouldn't interfere with conversations.

Bali sat down and away from Atem, her excuse being that she wanted to talk to someone else for once.

"I see you're avoiding his highness." Seshat stated point blank, and Bali spritzed her wine all over the person across from her (who just happened to be the oh-so-wonderful SETH). Bali didn't apologize and ignored the priest as she turned to the old woman on her right.

"I'm not avoiding anybody, I'm just talking to different people for once!" Bali defended quickly, but Seshat's look broke that defense easily.

"Oh, I don't know what's wrong with me. Isis said that it would turn out to be fine but it keeps getting worse. I had a hard time focusing on dancing because he kept staring at me." Bali explained herself, feeling ashamed and horrible. Seth snickered.

"You know, you may act like you're smart but you have one of the thickest skulls I've ever seen." He scoffed, and Bali got ready to throw a grape at him until Seshat scolded him herself.

"Priest Seth, you leave matters like that alone! You can behave better than that!" She said, her motherly sternness showing. Seth sniffed and went into a different conversation beside him.

"Perhaps you should tell Atem about it. He could probably help." Shimon suggested, having had listened the whole time.

"But... He'll laugh at me or something."

"Dear, he's supposed to be your best friend isn't he? He won't laugh." Seshat pointed out, and Bali agreed, though there was no confidence behind her tone. Bali stood slowly once she had thought about it.

"I don't feel like eating anymore. I'm going to my room to rest." She answered the questioning looks. Atem stared from down the table worriedly. Shimon stood and told Atem that Bali just needed to rest.

"You caused quite a stir in her today, and she also taught you that strange dance. Some sleep will do her some good, I think." Shimon opinionated and Atem nodded unsure. He couldn't leave because he had responsibilities as Pharaoh. He couldn't leave right in the middle of his own party.

"I hope she's feeling okay. I keep seeing her act strange. Mahad said that he found nothing wrong with her." Atem thought, thinking back on all of the weird awkward moments and red faces and moments that had been happening.

Bali was thinking the same thing on her way up to her room. All of the moments where she had felt flustered...

"Flustered? I don't get flipping flustered! Ridiculous." Bali yelled randomly, though in English so no one would understand. Once she got to her room, she told Mery and Su to leave her to her thoughts, which they obliged. Bali sat on her bed to analyze the events that kept happening.

"I'm flustered when anything comes up around him, and those weird moments when my heart leaps in my throat, and that weird sick feeling in my stomach that strangely feels good... What does it mean? Isis and Mahad wouldn't lie to me to make me feel better, would they?" Bali asked herself, but ruled that out. Isis and Mahad were two of her good friends.

"I beat you to it, Atem..." Hutsat's last words rang through her mind. And suddenly, everything made sense. Bali stood with one hand on her head and one on her heart, which had begun to beat fast and throb in her chest. Her stomach wretched again.

"How could I be so blind? Oh my god..." Bali muttered, in total shock. She staggered and stumbled towards the washroom. Bali approached the water basin shakily and splashed cold water on her face. She calmed slightly, as was her intention.

"What if he doesn't feel the same way? But then why would Hutsat say he beat Atem to kissing me? Dammit, how am I so stupid? Everyone was acting so strange, and Isis and Seshat... DAMMIT! SETH WAS RIGHT!" Bali ended up yelling, and ran out and flopped herself on the bed. Bali stuffed her face in her pillow and actually fell asleep, the date wine having finally taken an effect.

...

By the time Bali had woken up, it was nighttime and everyone had dispersed from the party. Mery and Su had come back to find her asleep, and told her anything of consequence. Everyone had apparently missed Bali's presence, and Bali's gut told her that 'everyone' was code for 'Atem.'

"Okay, you know what? No sitting in a stupid ditch like a pansy! If he doesn't want to know, then too bad!" Bali roared, and the maids looked to each other in surprise as Bali rushed out looking like a predator looking for something to rip apart.

"I have a feeling she just realized something in herself." Su whispered, in case Bali might still be able to hear. Mery chuckled.

"It's about time."

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><p>Atem was sitting and reading a status report when Bali charged in unannounced. She ordered any and all servants and slaves to leave, and Atem didn't say a word as he sat surprised at the suddenness of it all. Once everyone was surely gone, Bali marched right up to him.<p>

"We need to talk." She said flatly. Atem sat back in the chair with interest and slight concern.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Yes."

"Well...?"

"I'm an idiot."

"I can't say I can argue with that."

"SHUT UP! I mean... Ugh, just be quiet, I don't know how to say this." Bali replied hotly, sliding her feet around. Atem's eyebrows furrowed and really concerned at this stage.

"You're feeling alright, right?" Atem asked and Bali waved her hand to brush off the question.

"I'm an idiot because I only just realized something tonight. Actually it was earlier today, but that's not the point!" Bali rambled, and Atem prodded her to continue.

"Well, um... You see... Dammit, I don't know how to say this! Okay, so you know how I've been acting strange lately? Like I'm sick or something?" Bali asked quickly, deciding to lead into her statement.

"I've noticed, actually. I've been slightly worried, because Mahad said he didn't find anything wrong."

"RIGHT! I know, and he's right. There isn't anything wrong with me, except for my exceptionally thick skull, and I'm so sorry that I couldn't figure this out earlier and saved trouble and-"

"Bali! You're rambling, get to the point!" Atem ordered, but was still smiling at the hopeless state she was in.

"Crap... Well... I...I-I love... you. I think." Bali squeezed out. She almost couldn't look at him.

Atem couldn't believe his ears. In fact, he thought it was a total fluke.

"Could you say that again please?"

"Dammit, I've already said it once! Obviously you don't listen so I guess you just missed out!" Bali yelled, and turned to leave slightly heartbroken.

"No! Don't leave, I heard you. I just couldn't believe it. Are you serious?" Atem asked, giddiness bubbling up inside his chest. A grin spread on his face. Bali's eyes widened at it and she nodded.

"Do I look like I would lie about something like that?" Bali replied grumpily, embarrassed because she felt like a fool.

"Bali, come here." Atem directed, using a kind but serious voice. Bali stepped forward and Atem stood. He darted forward unexpectedly and pulled Bali close to him.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of." He told her quietly, and kissed her so sweetly that Bali thought she would melt. Her arms went atop his shoulders, her right hand running through his hair, deepening the kiss more. Both smiled through their kisses, unable to express their utmost happiness any other way.

They stopped when they heard footsteps coming up and stood facing the same way, as Atem held Bali around her waist.

"Pharaoh! Have you read the report yet?" Shada asked, but stopped short once he saw the pair. Bali looked slightly embarrassed while Atem was happy with pride.

"Oh, should I leave?" Shada asked, not embarrassed but feeling awkward all the same.

"No, you may talk for a small time. After that though, I have some things to discuss with Lady Bali."

"Thank you, your highness. As you've read, the slight disturbance on the westernmost border is slightly troubling, but I believe that it is only a desert tribe from outside that barely crosses our border from time to time creating trouble. Should we take action?" Shada elaborated, and Bali glanced up concerned at her new lover, who stood with a serious face, though still with a tight hold on her.

"Keep watching, but do nothing yet. Egypt needs to rest after all of this madness." Atem ordered, and Shada bowed his head.

"That is all I wished to speak of. Thank you." He gave his parting words and left. Atem sighed once he was gone and turned to Bali.

"Tired?" Bali asked, figuring that his kingship was exhausting sometimes. Not to mentioned that he had just partied all day long.

"Yes, but not tired enough to ask you something." Atem answered, giving her a sly smile as he sat, pulling her onto his lap. He kept his arms around her almost protectively. Bali rested her legs on one arm of the chair and rested to the side on Atem's right shoulder, and his arm curled around her.

"And what might that be?"

"You know about the whole marriage deal, right?"

"Of course."

"Marry me."

"That wasn't in the form of a question."

"I didn't say _that _would be a question. I already asked a question."

"True enough."

"So... Will you marry me or not?"

"I don't know. Do you think I'd be any good at it?"

"Depends on what you mean by 'it...' OW!"

"Don't you go and get dirty on me! You know what I mean."

"Yes I know. You'll be fine, you could run this nation better than I could."

"That's probably true."

"Watch it there, Bali."

"Hey, you said it. Hmmm... It would make sense. But I'm not part of the family. How would that work?"

"Well, I figure that since you're a goddess and all, you'd be able to marry me. Seeing as it would make the royal blood even purer than it is now. Not to mention that if you need to love Egypt to gain the power of Ra, marrying the Pharaoh out of love would probably do some good in his book."

"I never thought of it like that. You're such a sneaky bastard. But I think I would've said it anyway."

"Say what?"

"That I'd marry you, you twit! Quit acting like my thick-headed self!"

"Oh. I see. Bali?"

"What?"

"I love you too."

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><p><strong>FINALLY! Hah, I love the conversation at the end. They're not lovey-dovey and really mushy because that's not the kind of people they are! Oh, but more fun is still to come! And what about this disturbance on the border?<strong>

**I took that dance scene from The King and I. I love it so much!  
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**Review to tell me about the fountains of fangirl joy and squeeness that are gushing in your souls right now! And to give feedback, of course!**

**REVIEW!  
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	23. Poor, Poor Ferez

**I finally updated! I started school, and with band stuff and lots of homework... Let's just say it has been hard to find time! It'll probably be like that for some time, seeing as I'm graduating this year and I don't want to fail!**

**I don't own YGO! or anything that obviously isn't mine. **

**FUN FACT!: The mehdji were basically Pharaoh's police force. They patrolled the city, guarded the palace, and there were those who guarded the Pharaoh himself! I love reading about them, they're pretty awesome!**

**With that, enjoy the chapter!**

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><p>Ferez the Messenger was up early, but he was always up early, he supposed. People relied on him to get news out from the palace, when there was news. Of course, with the turn of events with the war and the new pharaoh, there was always news.<p>

Ferez walked up to his normal station to receive any messages from the scribes. The scribe he worked with came bounding up in excitement, taking Ferez by surprise. San (the scribe) was never a morning person, so Ferez figured the news to be happy.

"Ferez, my friend, Pharaoh Atem is betrothed! And to Lady Bali, no less!" San relayed the joyful news, and Ferez woke right up and his face glimmered with a smile.

"That is good news! Surely that is the only message to be strewn throughout the streets this day?"

"Of course! Now hurry, so everyone may celebrate even more!" San excitedly cheered, shooing Ferez hurriedly. Ferez leaped off, running with a skip in his step at such happy news. He went faster than he ever did for anything else, because it was just so wonderful!

It was wonderful, that is, until someone traveling the road opposite him caught him by the neck and scooted him towards himself. Ferez paled, and tried to pry the man's fingers from their grip, but to no avail. The man was brawny, sinewy, and generally everything one would see in a toughened veteran. The man was dressed ordinary, but the fierce look demanded fear. Ferez couldn't help but give it.

"Why are you so annoyingly jubilant this morning?" The man growled, and lessened his grip slightly so Ferez could answer. Ferez let out a small choking noise as he began to tell his story.

"The Pharaoh... Pharaoh Atem is betrothed to... Lady Bali..." Ferez gasped, and was immediately released to cough on the ground. The stranger's evil grin spread negativity like an infection as he chuckled to himself.

"Good enough for me." He mumbled, and Ferez was left feeling thankful that his life was spared. But, as a messenger for the palace, he couldn't just ignore his duties. But this time he went through the city at his normal pace, lest he should attract any more evil men to attention.

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><p>Bali couldn't believe the events that had unfolded in the past three months she had been there. Bali was getting married. To a <em>pharaoh.<em> Bali could guess that her mother never wanted so much for her at all.

"It's too bad marriage isn't really all that auspicious here. All I'm going to do is move into Atem's room and go there from now on. Back home, everyone would make such a big fuss." Bali complained, though she had a smile of reminiscing that had homesickness laced through it. Life may have been crap in that time, but there were some good people there, too. After all, she had been born and raised there, it wasn't something she would ever throw away.

While Bali lay on her bed, Mery and Su burst in full of glee. Bali rolled her eyes at the overjoyed maids.

"Oh, the day is coming soon! We're so happy for you!" Mery said.

"I know."

"It'll be such fun being the maid of a queen! I never thought I would get so far!" Su dreamed, and Bali shifted so her back was to them.

"Oh, and your _children _will be adorable!" They both squealed, and Bali jolted up with red all over her face.

"Don't say things like that!" Bali squeaked, and the maids laughed at her misfortune. The two really meant it however, and Bali knew that there was no avoiding her place as Great Royal Wife; to create an heir.

It wasn't like Bali was embarrassed by the idea of having sex, it was the idea of having sex with Atem. The idea seemed alien, and Bali was almost petrified. Having children had never been in any of her plans, and here she was, marrying Atem to basically do just that!

Bali didn't doubt Atem, though. Her betrothed had a nice body, and Bali couldn't deny that. Bali didn't doubt herself, either. She was right when she told George Corman that she hadn't been such a good little girl. No, she wasn't a whore, but she had experience enough to think she could give a pleasurable enough sex life to whoever she was with.

"Great, now you two have me thinking about such awkward things!" Bali complained, and shoved her face into a cushion. Mery and Su quieted down and apologized seriously.

"It's okay, you two. I'm just nervous because I'm really not the type of person to have a family. And if and when I do have a child, I can't just sluff it off on you two to raise or something like that. My mother always told me that a child's parents can make all the difference. I mean, I'm only tough because my mom died and my dad abandoned me because he hated me for some reason after she died. I love Atem though, and I'm pretty damn sure of that!" Bali elaborated, feeling good now that she had gotten some insecurities out of her head.

"Wow, that was so deep!" Su exclaimed, slightly tearful at the sad plight. Bali gave her a funny look and Su waved her hands in front of her.

"Sorry, just feeling sentimental! You've never really talked to us like that before."

"Yes. I must say that I'm beginning to worry." Mery chimed in, and Balinodded in understanding.

"I see. I've never really talked about my dad to someone about my father. It just brings up bad memories, and I don't want to keep thinking about why he scorned me for some reason."

"There's no problem with that. Now, why don't we get you prettied up? The whole kingdom is going to be buzzing with news." Mery stated, and Bali sighed.

"I wish sometimes that Atem was an ordinary man, and not pharaoh. Publicity isn't really my style for this kind of thing." Bali admitted, and stood herself up to stretch.

Unbeknownst to her or the maids, there was a listener to their conversation, and shuffled from his spot in the doorway to make his entrance.

"I'm quite ordinary, thanks. I just happen to have an extraordinary lineage. I came to say good morning." Atem greeted, and Bali turned to him in alarm.

"Who said you could come in here?" Bali asked, and Atem reached out and scooped her into a kiss.

"I did." He responded afterwards, a cheesy grin spreading on his face. Bali shoved his face away with an open hand and a slightly amused snort.

"You'd better get used to it, soon we'll be in the same room!" Atem called to her as she walked off to join her maids in the washroom.

"I know that! I was at least going to _try _and live up the little bit of privacy I have left!" Bali answered back, and there was a slight splash from the room. Atem wondered what exactly she was doing. Curiosity got the best of him and he sneaked up to the doorway and peeked through. He only got a glimpse of Bali before Mery and Su drew a curtain around the bath.

"Pharaoh, it is not wise to peek in on a woman when she is bathing, even if you are betrothed." Mery scolded, and Bali sat up at those words.

"No, it's fine. If he's going to act so arrogant about getting married, then he come in here. After all, we're going to be sharing a lot from now on. How about it? Did the sneak peek you got seem to be enough or do you want the whole picture?" Bali yelled, joking around, not really expecting him to oblige, because the amount of humor in her voice was great. Since she couldn't see (the curtain obscured her view), she didn't know that Mery and Su had been dismissed silently by Atem and that he was walking over right at that moment.

Atem pulled aside the curtain and found...

Bali fully clothed and soaking her feet in some water. His jaw dropped and Bali began laughing her head off.

"Th-the look on your face! You thought you were going to get something good! Is this good enough for you?" Bali giggled, and Atem crossed his arms, thoroughly embarrassed.

"That was mean." He mumbled dejectedly.

"Serves you right, perv." Bali replied.

"But we're going to be married anyway!" Atem complained.

"So? We're not married yet. You're just going to have to wait." Bali stated nonchalantly, and Atem put out his lower lip slightly in a pout.

"Don't look at me like that, it's so immature. Now go away so I can get ready properly." Bali ordered, and Atem stomped off with a disappointed grunt. His pout hadn't worked and Bali had made him look bad between the two of them. Bali scrubbed her feet some and began the careful work of tailoring her toenails down to a good size. She didn't need her maids for this particular project.

"I beat him at something, at least. Though I have to admit, that was a low blow." Bali muttered, but her words made her face turn red once she thought about it and murmured curses at herself afterward.

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><p>Bali appeared in the throne room well dressed, at least more than usual. Apparently being engaged to the Pharaoh meant she had to look like it.<p>

"Lady Bali, congratulations." Everyone cheered as she passed by them, and she nodded her head to each and every one. Well, Seth just had a big stupid smirk on his face, meaning he knew he was right all along. Bali bit her thumb at him, and he looked slightly confused. Bali knew that he got the fact that it was a rude gesture, however. That was just enough for her.

There was a spot made for her, right at the feet of the throne. Bali rolled her eyes.

"I guess I've been demoted to the floor?" She asked herself, sarcastically, though quite a few people in the hall heard.

Bali went right up to Atem, who was sitting on his throne looking quite full of himself for putting her place on the floor. Bali rolled her eyes.

"Can give but can't take jokes, huh?" She asked him rhetorically, and sat on the small gathering of cushions. It wasn't all that bad. She could poke Atem's legs mercilessly to annoy the crap out of him.

"Pharaoh, when will the celebration be?" Shimon came up and asked, and Atem glanced at Bali. His look was quite smug.

"In two days. But tomorrow, she will move in with me." He answered, and Bali's eyes widened.

"That quick?" She stammered, but they looked genuinely confused. Bali realized where she was at, and shook her head.

"Never mind. Weird thought, that's all. So... What's going on today?" Bali started, and news popped in with a shout at that instant.

"My Pharaoh! News has come with one of the messengers! Someone strange threatened him!" Seth ran in yelling.

"News from the border reports that there are groups of men gathering just beyond!" Shada added, right on Seth's heels. Atem and Bali stood instantly, Bali's hand trailing onto the hilt of her holy sword.

"We shall meet in my private conference room!" Atem ordered, and off the two priests went. Atem walked over to Bali and took her hands in his.

"Look after the mehdji, please! It sounds as if an enemy is nearby and Mahad is going to need help." He told her pleadingly, staring into her eyes.

"Of course. You have to at least send a scribe with a report about what's happening, though. Promise?"

"I promise." He replied, kissing her swiftly and leaving for the meeting.

Bali stood, her expression worried over the new threat.

"It _would be _the perfect time to attack, I suppose... What a mess." Bali mumbled, and strode off to find Mahad.

* * *

><p>Mahad and Bali were speaking quietly about Bali's adventures in Syria when the messenger came. He held out the scroll to Bali, bowing at the same time.<p>

"Thank you." Bali told him politely, and the messenger sped off to tend to something else. Bali opened the scroll, Mahad peering over her shoulder.

"Damn..." Both muttered (Bali glanced at Mahad with interest; she had never heard Mahad swear) as they read.

Security was to be tightened around the borders and the palace, with regular patrols heading out into the city. The forces preparing on the western border were a threat, and Isis had proven it. As for the attack on the messenger that morning, Isis couldn't see anything clearly about the event and what it might become, but she could feel that something evil was roaming the city.

"I knew it. They are masking their presence from me, but this morning I felt their malevolence with my Millennium Ring. Perhaps I myself should go out into the city." Mahad said, anxiousness vexing his words.

"I think I need to learn more about the Millennium Items, myself." Bali replied, slightly ashamed that she hadn't researched them earlier.

"Lady Bali, please be careful. Now that you are going to be queen, you will be a target." Mahad warned, but Bali smiled with a small giggle. Mahad gave her a confused expression.

"Mahad, I think I would be a target anyway. Being a champion of Egypt counts for something, doesn't it? Besides, because of the Millennium Items, all of the court will be targets too. So don't worry too much about me." Bali elaborated, and Mahad finally smiled truthfully.

"You are right. Are you going to the library?" Mahad inquired, watching as Bali handed a background slave the scroll.

"Yes. I'll see you later." Bali bid farewell and was off to read some more about the Millennium Items.

* * *

><p><strong>Holy crap, this took awhile to write! Anyways, something weird is going on at the border, and there's another possible bad guy roaming near the capitol city! <strong>**But! Bali and Atem are basically getting married. Next chapter. It won't be anything too fancy, but it'll be fun! I hope all of you were mature enough for me to say the word sex. I mean, anything that happens will be implied, because I'm not changing the rating to mature. **

**Okay, so please review. Like usual. I love reading about your reactions, and despite this kind of being filler, there's some interesting facts thrown in here! I WANT to know what you think!**


	24. Long Live the Queen

**Okay guys, I've finally written a new chapter! Hooray! **

**So this chapter is really intense. As in, I was giggling like a madman because I think it will make you people go on an emotional roller coaster. And I like roller coasters. Yeah, that intense.**

**I do not own YGO! or anything that is obviously not mine!**

**FUN FACT!: The only wife of Pharaoh who had any power was the Great Royal Wife, or rather, the first wife. The first wife had power because if she bore a son, that son would be king. Also, the Great Royal Wife went on all trips with Pharaoh, as well as the fact that she was the one who could convince him to do anything she might have particularly wanted. She was the one everyone saw as their queen, and she was usually very good at what she did. Why are we talking about this? Well, silly, Bali's going to be one soon!**

**Enjoy the chapter, everyone!**

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><p>Bali sat in the library studying each text she had found as carefully as possible. Unfortunately, none spoke much of the Millennium Items.<p>

"Everybody praises them like they're gods themselves, so why the hell aren't they writing about them? This is crap!" Bali yelled frustrated. No one was in there with her, but Bali quieted when she heard a footstep proving that fact false. Bali could feel the presence sneaking around, almost as if that audible footstep was a mistake.

"Time to go…" Bali muttered, putting a hand gently (so as to be quiet) around the hilt of her sword. She stood her ground, waiting for the presence to get within the range of her sword. And once they finally did, Bali's grip on her sword tightened and she swung around, pulling her sword along.

It took all of her strength to halt her attack.

There stood a nobleman, holding a book protectively but not flinching.

Bali took note of the fact that he didn't flinch while she sheathed her sword.

"Sorry about that." Bali apologized. The man smiled enigmatically.

"A bit nervous, are we?"

"I said I was sorry. I guess things are just a bit tense right now with things being the way they are." Bali replied, trying to sound somewhat indifferent.

"I agree completely. I understand why you attacked me. After all, I did kind of sneak up on you. My name is Akshem-sut, by the way. I'm visiting from a village towards the west. Am I safe to assume that you are the warrior goddess Lady Bali?" He inquired, his face changing to a kinder smile.

"You are. It's nice to meet you. So why were you 'kind of' sneaking up on me?" Bali asked, wasting no time. Something was off about him. Not necessarily bad, but off.

"I saw what you were searching for and decided to help. This book should be able to sort things out for you. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe that I have some business to attend to in the city. I hope to meet you again, Lady Bali, it is an honor to have finally met you." Akshem elaborated, handing her a thick, dusty old tome, bowing reverently and walking off through the exit. Bali waved after him in good bye, standing like an idiot because she was trying to figure out how he knew that she was looking for information about the Millennium Items.

"There's no way that I wouldn't have sensed him if he looked over my shoulder or something! Either that or I'm losing my sanity." Bali mumbled, shaking her head to clear it.

"Might as well take a read." Bali sighed, and sat at the table to get studying.

It turned out that the book was exactly what she had been looking for. It told her the function of each Item, as well as when they first appeared and about the defeat of a foreign army with just those Items at hand. Bali shut the book after getting the gist of the information and put her head in her hands.

"How did they make such powerful things though? It doesn't make much sense that they just appeared!" Bali thought rapidly, her fingers tapping her cheek in frustration.

"LADY BALI! Are you in the library?" A boy called, running into the room gasping for breath and seemingly anxious. Bali turned and called him over.

"Lady Bali, Pharaoh needs to see you immediately in his quarters! He stressed that you must hurry!" The servant boy breathed, and Bali stood with concern.

"Did he tell you why?"

"No my Lady, I swear I have told you everything he wanted me to relay!" The boy cried defensively, and Bali nodded slowly in thought.

"If Atem finds out about this book, he'll take it away. Seeing as the library has no such book, I'd guess that there's some sort of secret behind the Millennium Items." Bali reasoned, and gave the book to the servant.

"Take this to my room and tell Mery and Su to set it among my bookshelves. Dismissed." Bali commanded quickly, and the servant obliged with a bow and scurried off. Funnily enough, Bali ran out as well, seeing as Atem apparently wanted her as soon as possible.

It didn't take long for Bali to arrive, but she found it odd that there were extra guards around, and that they seemed surprised and relieved to see her. They ushered her in respectfully. It turned out that the court was there, every single one. They were spread in the lobby-type area of Atem's suite, and all looked up when she arrived.

"Lady Bali, you are safe!" Isis cheered, running over to her with a wide smile. Tension seemed to disappear from the room at this statement, and a clamor began to rise.

"What do you mean, of course I am..." Bali said with a slight emotionless laugh. Isis frowned slightly in confusion, but all went quiet. Isis turned from Bali and both looked to see what the court was staring at. It was Atem, standing there staring at her with more surprise than anyone.

"What is with you people? You're acting like I-" Bali started, but Atem ran over and engulfed her in a tight hug.

"-disappeared..." She finished, blushing faintly because of all the stares she knew they were garnering.

"Lady Bali, there was an evil presence felt around the library where you were. We felt your presence disappear and were worried." Mahad stated aloud for everyone. Atem kissed her forehead and drew away.

"What happened?" He asked in a low, serious tone.

"I was studying in the library about relations with the desert tribes to the west. A noble came up to me with a book, but..." Bali began to lie/explain, and everyone there jumped when they heard that a noble had been seen, but Bali held her head trying to remember.

"I... Can't remember his name, or even what he looks like. Dammit, I'm sorry... I have the feeling that there was something off about him too..." Bali cursed, but Atem shushed her gently.

"He must have put some sort of spell on himself so you wouldn't remember him. But you are safe, and that is all that matters. Everyone, be on guard for anyone who poses as a noble! I want all of you to be careful! Now take your leave, as you have a well earned rest ahead of you." Atem commanded, and all who were there turned and began to leave, talking lightly among themselves. Soon, the couple was alone.

"You have no idea how worried I was Bali. You're staying with me tonight." Atem told her with finality.

"What? You can't do that!" Bali protested, stepping away from him with a defensive expression. Atem settled his weight on one foot, crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. Bali got the hint and rolled her eyes.

"Okay, so you can. But why? I can take care of myself!"

"He got into the palace undetected Bali, and could have harmed any of us! He even approached you, thank the heavens that he didn't try anything." Atem reasoned, but Bali snorted.

"As I said, I could have handled myself. You're worrying too much." Bali stated.

"No, I worry just the right amount! I don't want you to be taken away from me before..." He started strongly, but drifted off at the end, his eyes averting her gaze. Bali smiled.

"You know, where I come from, you and I would be celebrating the night before away from each other." Bali said, deciding that changing the conversation would be for the best at the moment. She had a feeling that she would stay in Atem's suite anyway, but she also decided to sleep in a separate room.

"Really?"

Bali nodded. Both walked over and sat next to each other on a cushioned ledge.

"They spent it away from each other, hanging out with their female friends if the bride and male friends if the groom. They're called Bachelor and Bachelorette parties. I mean, they don't have to be right before the wedding, but it's before the wedding in any case." Bali rambled, saying some specific words in English. She explained what they were to Atem quickly while he tried to say them.

"Why would they do that? It seems counter intuitive to me. Wouldn't you want to be around them all of the time if you're getting married?" Atem questioned, but Bali shook her head.

"That's not really what it is. In my culture, getting a divorce is extremely hard to do, compared to this culture in Egypt. It's not the best thing for a person's image either. So if a couple is getting married..."

"...Then they'll have the rest of their lives together, given that nothing happens."

"Correct. But anyway, the parties are celebrating the fact that it's their last day of being separate entities. In essence, they can't just break up and find someone else, or anything like that. They have to make decisions together. Do you get what I'm saying?" Bali explained, trying to make clear what she was feeling.

"Yes, I do. And this... this is what you mean by wanting to independent for one last time?" Bali nodded. Atem sighed, but before he could say anything, Bali also chimed;

"But this isn't my culture back home. If you want me to stay so you can make sure I'm safe, I'm okay with that. But I'm sleeping in a different room because-" She started, but she saw the bright expression on Atem's face dim slightly when she brought up having a different room, and sighed in defeat.

"Never mind. No different room."

"You're being so compliant, is there something wrong?"

"Not really. I just hope I have a violent dream so I can beat you up in my sleep."

"How mean!" Atem chuckled, but Bali just stared at him with emphasis. His chuckle died off.

"You're not joking, are you?"

"No."

...

It was late, and the two stood staring at each other in the darkness. Their faces were close, their hands clasped and worries gone. Both closed their eyes, but kept a hold on each other through their sleep.

* * *

><p>It was morning, and Bali rolled over, waking up from a good sleep. At first, she forgot where she was, but remembered her agreement with Atem (who was already gone) and remembered something else...<p>

"I'm getting married today."

"Yes Lady Bali; in fact, you're being presented to the people of Egypt as their Great Queen in an hour, so you must get ready!" Mery replied, and Su giggled as Bali shot up out of bed with a yelp.

"That soon? Dammit, why do things happen so quickly around here?" Bali yelled, not really knowing where anything was to get ready by herself.

"Lady Bali, just follow us. We know what to do and where to go. Don't worry!" Su chirped, taking one of Bali's arms and dragging her off in one direction, apparently towards the outdoor bathing pool.

"I have to bathe in this? It's so big!" Bali exclaimed, but got herself a stern look from Mery. Bali disrobed and slid into the cool water with a shudder.

"How is this any better than what I got in my old room?" She muttered, but washed herself thoroughly and let her hair get treated with oils once she got out and was given a large covering robe.

"Now I'm getting dressed." Bali guessed, and the maids nodded, and led her off to another chamber where clothes were waiting for her. Instead of her usual, revealing attire, Bali was given a sleeveless white dress, where the collar and around the back was lined with gold. Wings were embroidered in golden thread on the back. There were splits up the sides for movement. What Bali liked about it was that she could move AND she was modestly covered.

"Next is the jewelry and paint." Bali observed, and that was done. Rings, bracelets, anklets, and earrings were put in place. A small gold pectoral was placed around her neck. Her marks of Ra and the Mehdji were glorified, her face painted slightly (just around her eyes), and got some images on her legs. Bali's headdress was placed on her head, and the matching belt was put around her waist.

"All finished!" Su exclaimed, once Bali had her sandals put on.

"Extravagant as usual." Mery stated, and Bali shrugged.

"You're the ones who make it that way. Where do I go now?" Bali asked, having not gotten any message from Atem at all.

"Lady Bali, Pharaoh is waiting for you outside the balcony!" A servant called, almost as if on cue.

"I guess it's time for me to go. Wish me luck!" Bali said nervously, and Mery patted her shoulder.

"You will be fine, because he is a good man. Oh my goodness, we nearly forgot the netting!" Mery exclaimed suddenly, and Bali turned to see what they were talking about. It was customary for a woman, on her wedding day, to wear a covering of fine netting. Bali's was like a robe, which was put over her head like a sweater, and had sleeves as well. It was even fashioned with a hood, so that Bali could take the netting away from her face once the time was right. The hood was drawn over her entire face and Bali thanked her maids.

"Thanks you two, for everything. Bye!" Bali parted hurriedly, following the servant to where her nearly-husband was waiting. Su turned to Mery with a big grin.

"You were right in making that netting two months ago when she was still only friends with him. Who would have thought that she'd be queen?" Su asked rhetorically. Mery gave an answer anyway.

"I would, obviously." And both laughed and went to watch their mistress get married.

* * *

><p>Bali stood, waiting nervously for Atem to appear by her side so they could walk out. She was alone with her thoughts, and her thoughts were boiling over in her mind.<p>

"Bali...?" A voice said, and she turned to see Mana standing in the curtains. Bali smiled and waved her over. Mana jogged over and made to throw her arms in a giant hug, but stopped herself.

"Oh gosh, I nearly screwed everything up, what with the paint and all! I can't believe you guys are getting married, it's so weird."

"You have no idea."

"And I haven't gotten to see you since you got back from the war a couple weeks ago too! I feel so bad about that, but Mahad has been training me like crazy! But I guess that's why I'm his top student after all!" Mana bragged, and Bali shrugged.

"That's life for you. Well, it's getting about time, and Atem is going to be here any second!" Bali whispered, and Mana nodded.

"Right, good luck! And you look really pretty, by the way. See ya!" Mana complimented, and through the curtains she went. Bali stared after her with a longing look. Bali wished she could be as carefree as Mana a lot of times, but knew it would never happen because of the life she led.

"Bali, what are you looking at?" Atem asked from behind her, and Bali turned to face him. When she did, Atem froze. Bali's shoulders drooped in exasperation.

"What's wrong now?"

"You're stunning. That's all." Atem recovered, and walked over with a grin.

"Ready to go?" He asked.

"Let's do this." Bali answered, and Atem took her hand in his and both walked out of the curtains simultaneously.

"Presenting Pharaoh Atem, and his new Queen; the warrior goddess Lady Bali!" An announcement cried, but the crowd was quiet as they stared at her. Most were very excited despite the stillness in the air. Atem stepped forward slightly.

"Thank you for coming everyone! Together, your Queen and I shall make sure Egypt prospers with peace! I should also like to announce that Bali is the only one I will ever love, and shall therefore be the only one I ever marry!" Atem announced, and Bali stared sharply at him in surprise. The crowd roared with cheers and happiness as Atem stepped back and brought Bali to him.

"Your eyes are wide, Bali." He muttered to her, as he took both of her hands in his and faced her. She faced him and felt a tear slide down her cheek.

"No one... Not ONE... Has ever said anything like that to me. But Atem, you have to have someone to take over when you're done. What if I don't-"

"Don't worry about that right now. And there's always a first time for everything." He replied sincerely, and kissed her sweetly, making the crowd get even more impossibly loud. They stepped apart and smiled.

And in the blink of an eye, a turn of a second, and one single heartbeat...

The crowd gasped in horror as Bali dropped to her knees, an arrow protruding from her back.

* * *

><p><strong>Emotional roller coaster, I tell ya. It was one of those for me, I don't know about you. You could review and tell me. It would be greatly appreciated. I love it when people give me their wonderful reviews because you guys do pretty well on giving feedback on what was good. And I'd just like to thank all of you for dealing with all of the errors I've made in this story. From spelling, to grammar and all that. It's usually late at night when I write these, and so my proofreading skills go down the drain. So thanks for putting up with me, and for reading and reviewing and loving the story and all of that! <strong>


	25. First Night

**Hey there! Yeah, you! What's up? You like this story? I should hope so! I like this story too. It seems we've come to an understanding. Congratulations to us!**

**Okey-dokey, let's get the show on the road! The little wrap up of last chapter's cliff hanger will be short, sweet and funny. Yup.**

**I don't own YGO! Or anything that is obviously not mine!**

**FUN FACT!: Airheadninja is thinking about writing a little side has-nothing-to-do-with-the-plot story about Bali meeting Anzu. They'll never actually meet in this story, but Airheadninja thinks that her readers would be greatly enthused to see Bali react to Anzu flirting with her husband. Fun stuff. Message her if you would like to see it happen!**

**ENJOY! (And LAUGH!)**

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><p>The crowd screamed, and guards created an immediate shield in case the shooter decided to strike once more. Bali was still conscious, but had short breaths because the arrow was causing her too much pain to be taking normal ones.<p>

Atem carefully shifted her into a back room, though he was extremely hurried when doing so.

"Bali! Don't leave me, it'll be okay!" He muttered frantically, seeing her face contort in pain. She opened her eyes with a glare and opened her mouth.

"I'm fine, you moron! Quit freaking out!" She rasped, sweat running down her face as she fought to keep from hyperventilating and passing out. Atem's eyes widened.

"Are you sure? You just got shot!"

"You don't think I _know _that?"

"Well..."

"Get this out of my back, dammit!"

"O-Okay, right!... What should I do?"

"Seriously? You pull the arrow out of my back and then you heal the injury, idiot! Now hurry up!" Bali sputtered angrily, and received help from Atem in leaning forward. Atem breathed deeply to calm his nerves, and took a firm hold of the arrow.

"Okay, ready?" He muttered, more to himself than anything.

"Just go!" Bali growled, bracing herself slightly. Atem nodded somewhat frantically. He began to meticulously pull out the arrow. Bali grit her teeth.

"JESUS CHRIST!" Bali yelled in English, Atem having pulled a little too much out at one time. He stopped and began getting unreliably nervous.

"Are you okay?" He asked quietly.

"GET THE F***ING ARROW OUT OF ME!" Bali roared, her impatience and pain making her more irritable than ever. Atem flinched backwards a little, but breathed in to calm his nerves and took hold once more.

"Just a little more, it's almost out." He murmured, and after a few seconds out it came. Bali released a breath, but Atem could tell she was still in a good deal of pain.

"Sit still." He commanded, even though Bali hadn't really moved because she was waiting for him to heal her. Atem placed his hands over the wound and concentrated carefully. Bali began to breath more deeply, and her shoulders sagged more and more. Once Atem was done, both were tired because it sapped energy from both of them. Bali scooted to face him, both on their knees staring at each other. Bali smiled tiredly.

"Hell of a day, don't you think?" She yawned, and Atem nodded slowly, his eyelids drooping. He still had enough energy however to shift over to where she was and wrapped his arms around her (Bali passed out immediately at that point) and rested his head atop hers.

"Safe again." He mumbled, before he too drifted off to sleep.

...

"Pharaoh Atem, Lady Bali! Where are you, are you alright? Oh my goodness, how did this happen?" Mana squeaked, searching around for two of her best friends. She came around to a group that included her master and sprinted for it without another thought.

"Master Mahad!-" She called, but was shushed by him.

"They are both fine, Pharaoh healed Bali and both are now resting together. They're being carefully carried back to their room. We don't want to wake them." Mahad whispered to his student, who nodded and signaled that her lips were sealed.

"Master Mahad, how did this happen?" Mana asked, once the two had walked away from the scene. Mahad stood glancing to the side, trying to figure that same question out himself.

"I don't know. It frustrates me that I seem to be doing more harm than good." Mahad growled, and Mana's eyes widened.

"That's not true! If it was_, _everyone would be dead already. Right?" Mana reasoned cheekily, spreading her arms wide for emphasis. Mahad smiled emptily.

"I suppose so." Mana dropped her arms with a huff.

"OH come on! Master, you think too little of yourself!" Mana yelled with frustration, stamping her foot down. She went off fuming and Mahad watched her leave with slight amusement.

"I'm glad I have such a loyal student." He muttered to himself, but began to brood once more on how he was going to fix everything that had happened.

* * *

><p>Bali woke up before Atem, groggily opening her eyes.<p>

"Hey wait!" she commented to herself, remembering that she had been shot. She searched around for it, but then realized what had also taken place.

"Yet again, I find myself mysteriously healed." Bali mumbled, smiling slightly at the figure of her... wait!

"Husband! Oh my god! Husband? How could I foget?" Bali exclaimed quietly to herself, but couldn't help but feel gleeful about the prospect. Atem stirred and sat up, facing away from her and rubbing his face. Bali just sat there and stared at his back until he straightened and turned around.

"Bali, you're okay!" He exclaimed, turning and gathering her up in his arms with lightning speed. Bali laughed slightly, wrapping her arms around him in return.

"You healed me, remember?" she pointed out, and Atem leaned back with a soft smile, staring down into her eyes. Bali was about to question whether he was feeling okay when he leaned down and kissed her. It wasn't ordinary, not in the least. Bali leaned back onto the bed, pulling Atem along with her.

"This," she thought.

"Is going to be amazing."

...

Mery and Su were extremely horrified with the events that had taken place earlier in the day. It was nighttime now, and luckily enough, both the Pharaoh and his Queen were safely asleep in their chamber.

"Ah!" a woman yelled, and both maids stopped and looked at each other confused. They had been given the night to do what they pleased, and were just passing by on their way to the kitchens.

"I thought they were asleep. They sound like they're having a good enough time." Su whispered with a giggle. Mery let out a chuckle.

"That was definitely a pleasant yell she just made. Let's go before we hear more than we want to." Mery suggested, and tugged Su along much to her dismay.

* * *

><p>Morning came, and Bali sat up feeling sore, but extremely satisfied. Atem had already risen and was tending to whatever duties he had. Bali smiled to herself as she wrapped a sheet around her shoulders to keep the cold from her bare skin.<p>

"That was the best night I've ever had." Bali sighed to herself, stiffly getting up to fetch Mery and Su.

"It sounded like it." Mery called, and Bali turned her head to see that both maids were staring at her with glee.

"Please don't tell me you spied on us." Bali groaned, about to feel embarrassed because it was only a tad bit awkward.

"No ma'am. We were just walking to get dinner, and we heard you yell. That's all." Su answered, a giant grin not leaving her face. Bali shrugged.

"What can I say? He's a flippin' love god."

"I could believe that. Now let's go, you've got to get cleaned up for the celebration!" Mery scolded, pushing Bali along to the outdoor bath. Bali groaned once more.

"It's cold, do I ha- GAH!" Bali started to whine, but Su promptly shoved her into the water. Bali rose to the surface sputtering.

"This is completely uncalled for!" Bali growled, shivering and rubbing her arms to generate heat.

"Lady Bali, just get clean quickly. We're going to have a spot of trouble trying to cover the small bruises and bite marks on your ears he left on you." Mery stated, and Bali turned a pale pink after the comment. In her defense, it had felt _really _good last night.

"Fine, The more I hurry, the warmer I get."

"Exactly."

...

Mery and Su had done an excellent job as always. Bali looked completely normal, even though she could still feel everything she and Atem had done.

"I haven't had to suppress the 'walk of shame' since my first time. At least I know how, even though everyone probably already knows." Bali thought, heading to the throne room in more splendorous garb, seeing as she was now Queen. The guards bowed and opened the doors for her, and the throne room went quiet as they did. All eyes were upon her, even as they bowed low on the ground. Atem stood from his throne with a smile.

"You're awake." He called over with amusement, and Bali rolled her eyes.

"I can't sleep forever." Bali shot right back, walking towards him in the aisle the performers, servants, and even the Guardians (who were on one knee, not grovelling on the floor) had formed.

"Everyone, rise and rejoice! Your new Queen is well, and ready to celebrate!" Atem announced, and instantaneously, there was fast-paced, happy music that performers began to dance to, having the time of their lives despite the fact that it was routine. Bali enjoyed seeing them move with such emotion.

"Now _they _know how to dance." Bali commented off-hand to Atem, who chuckled.

"Certainly. That's why I hired them."

"_You _hired them?" Bali asked in sly disbelief, her eyebrow raising.

"All right, so a servant hired them. But it was in my name."

"Uh-huh. Hey, do you think I could try and play a flute? I've always wondered if I still had the knack for it."

"Bali, you are Queen. You can have whatever you wish." Atem replied amused. Bali shook her head with a smirk.

"Being a spoiled brat is not excused by being Queen. I want everyone o realize I'm decent enough, you know. Just because I'm a war hero doesn't mean I'm a tyrant." Bali explained, wagging her finger in front of his condescendingly. Atem blinked in surprise.

"My mistake then. But you can still ask. I am curious to see if you still have the 'knack' for it as well."

"I hope you get pleasantly surprised." Bali grumbled sarcastically at his doubtful tone. She turned to go on her little mission.

"I was last night." He commented lightly, staring elsewhere as Bali turned back around with a small pout. Atem met her eyes again, and instead of something mean, she smiled and winked.

"Fine then. I hope you get pleasantly surprised _again_." And with that she walked off. Atem watched her leave with a content smile. She was safe, and now that they were bound together for eternity, he would keep it that way. He watched as Bali approached the musicians, who stopped playing to pay their respect. Bali waved her hands about flustered and the dancers and musicians looked up with confusion, and apparently Bali's next words made them smile. The flute player in front of her stood and placed her instrument in Bali's hands, helping Bali place her fingers properly. The whole place went quiet as Bali began to play. Atem and the court walked forward to hear better.

At first, only an airy note would come out, and Bali frowned as she brought it away from her face. Atem was about to tell her something, but she nodded and resettled the flute. She began playing a couple notes. They sounded good this time, and all stared as she began to play a song.

The musicians soon began to play along with her, improvising beats and notes to go along with her tune. Soon, the dancers were dancing again, and the court stared in wonder as Bali kept on steadily playing. Eventually, Bali quit because she was running out of stamina. The rest of the group kept on going, ad soon the original flute player was playing what Bali had basically started.

"Your majesty, when did you learn to play?" Isis asked curiously, as no one would ever have guessed that Bali of all people would play the flute.

"Oh, that's from a long time ago. I don't really play anymore. I was just wondering if I could play anything anymore." Bali answered modestly, and the group shared a chuckle at her sheepish expression.

"I take it you're feeling much better after yesterday's events, my Queen?" Shimon asked from behind, and the group looked to the old veteran as Bali replied.

"Of course. I never thought that getting shot by an arrow would hurt so much, but I made it through. To hell with whoever did it." Bali cursed, and Mahad stepped up.

"A suspicious character was seen all around before the festivities and disappeared once the arrow took flight. Witnesses say that it was a nobleman." He claimed, and all were thinking to themselves on how they could let such a man slip past their detection.

"Don't worry Mahad. I know that keeping each and every one of us safe is annoyingly exasperating and exhausting, but I appreciate the fact that it was only one arrow, and not a hail of them." Bali complimented, and Mahad seemed to blush slightly at the praise.

"Thank you, your highness."

"Your majesty, you're married now. I don't think it's wise to be flirting with someone in front of your husband."

"SHUT UP SETH!"

* * *

><p>The day went fairly quickly, and without incident thanks to Mahad and his efforts. Bali had left everyone to wander about the halls of her palace, taking time to look at everything she hadn't really noticed before.<p>

"My Queen, wait for me!" Isis called, jogging to catch up. Bali stopped and turned to greet her.

"Hello Isis. Is something wrong?" Bali asked, slightly concerned. People usually ran to her when something was wrong. Isis smiled and waved a deflecting hand.

"Oh no, not at all. I'm so glad you are well. My mother wanted me to give you this." Isis said, taking out a bracelet charm. Bali took it with a smile and stared at it, studying it to try and figure out what it was really for.

"It's to ward off pregnancy." Isis told her, and Bali yelped slightly, but kept a good hold on the charm.

"It only works if you're wearing it of course, and if you have it off, well..." Isis explained, shrugging slightly. Bali hung her head, trying to hide her alarm.

"What's wrong, Bali?" Isis asked with concern.

"It won't work now? Oh no..." Bali muttered an answer, but Isis caught it. Her questioning gaze deepened.

"No..."

"Isis, you haven't heard, have you?"

"Heard what?"

"Well, at least I know my maids aren't spreading any of those facts..." Bali rambled, putting her hands to her face.

"Bali, please tell me what is wrong!" Isis pleaded, and Bali brought her hands down to grip her arms nervously.

"Atem and I had our first night together last night, and in short, I now really wish you had brought this to me sooner."

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! Well, not sorry, but I'm sure you know what I mean! Do you think you'll get pregnant from just that one time?"

"Knowing my luck and how wild it got last night, probably."

"Well, just know that my mother and I are here for you if you need any guidance. At least, my mother will be of help. I'm afraid I don't have much experience in that field. Let's just wait and see what happens, perhaps luck will see you through for this instance." Isis comforted, placing a friendly hand on the Queen's shoulder.

"Thank you Isis. I'll put this on now in hope that it just might magically work." Bali said, slipping the charm onto her left wrist. Bali smirked then.

"Sooo... I saw that you and Mahad were standing pretty close together today... Any reasoning for that?" Bali asked slyly and Isis flushed red, stuttering while trying to deny any implications. Bali laughed and the two walked on, discussing varying topics, with Isis making sure that Mahad wasn' mentioned again.

* * *

><p><strong>Uh-oh, Bali's a little worried about having chit-lins! But that's okay, because I think any girl out there would rationally be worried about it. And poor Bali got her protection just a little late!<strong>

**It was implied sex because one: this story will forever be rated T, 2: I don't write sex scenes because I don't really have experience. I'm not going to write about something that would be unrealistic (seeing people try and write them is sometimes too awkward). Therefore, you can use our imaginations on what exactly happened. Have fun with that, at least I've given you some hints.**

**Anyways, this was kind of blah in terms of action, but we'll be getting into the minds of our evil people in the next chapter!**

**Please review, I really appreciate all who do. All who haven't yet, don't be shy! I'm not going to be condescending or mean at all. I try to be as friendly and grateful as possible. Just ask anyone who has reviewed! As for my lovely anonymous reviewers, keep it ninja! ^_~ 'Til Next time!**


	26. Monster

**Whoo-hoo, here we are again! I have recovered from the emotional hit I took and am on the right track again! Thanks all of you for your support!**

**This chapter, I am sure, will make you perk up in surprise. I have brought in an enemy that NO ONE really likes to talk about. Until now. Mwahahahaha!**

**Ladies and gentlemen, we have made it past 200 reviews! I thank ALL of you for that, and I hope you keep showing support. Anyone who hasn't reviewed, no worries; I know you love the story just as much.**

**I don't own YGO! or anything that obviously isn't mine. **

**By the way, the Anzu Vs. Bali story is going to be coming out at some point. I want to put it out closer to the end of this story, but keep your eyes peeled. It'll have an obvious title, I promise.**

**FUN FACT!: Egypt's least favorite Pharaoh was Akhenaten, who changed the religion to a monotheistic one. He changed the capitol city to Amarna (which now has barely anything left, the Egyptians abhorred it so much) and for seventeen years the Egyptians went broke to fulfill the Pharaoh. Ramses the Great was so disgraced by this history that he ordered that all traces of the religion and Akhenaten be destroyed and disposed of. Yeah... Not a very popular guy.**

**With that, all of you, enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Akshem-sut sat back in his charm-filled room, built in a way that would shield him from detection by the Royal Guardians.<p>

Akshem-sut had never been a particularly popular man, despite having good status and great heritage. He couldn't fathom why Pharaoh Akhnemkhanen had ignored him, especially when he had volunteered to crush a small rebellion in the lower class. Instead, Akhnemkhanen bargained with them, and actually let them have lower taxes! It was horrendous and outrageous! Someone of power should _**NEVER**_ consent anything to those of no consequence whatsoever!

"And ever since that, no one has paid me mind at all!" Akshem growled, slamming his fist down on the arm of his chair. He sat back thinking with a hand to his chin however.

"This Queen has something about her that isn't right. I have a feeling she doesn't even know about it either. Which makes things all the better for me." Akshem mumbled, smiling finally before a messenger came through the door.

"Master, the tribe at the border is waiting for orders. They are anxious to begin the invasion." He reported calmly, standing at the doorway.

"Tell them to begin in two days, on the moonless night."

"Yes sir."

* * *

><p>Resna sat back in his chair with a scowl. His tribe was in a pact with a ruthless noble who had guaranteed them all of Egypt's wealth should they help him conquer the kingdom. The desert tribe had no other choice but to turn to this way of life: the tribe had grown too much to feed properly. Should Egypt be taken however, the tribe would be set for all generations.<p>

Resna knew his tribe would be a force to be reckoned with, as they had integrated two other tribes into their ranks over the past months. His men and women were sly and intelligent, and they were able to successfully blend in with the desert.

"Lord Resna! We have new orders from Lord Akshem! We move out in two days on the moonless night!" One of his men informed, and Resna rose from his chair thinking of how they would infiltrate the empire without causing too much panic.

"Those Guardians know we're around, they just don't know why. We'll have to leave, and come back disguised as merchants. We shall send only two groups at a time, as we don't want suspicion to arise. They'll be taken off guard." Resna planned aloud, but his messenger had logged it away and went to go tell all of the different clan leaders. Resna sat milling over his plan, and sighed in frustration.

"This is the only thing I can think of to do." He grumbled, as if someone was prodding him that he was too simplistic. All he was trying to do was be a good leader to his people, and if that meant war, that meant war. He needed to lose as few lives as possible, but with a nation as powerful as Egypt, it was obvious that not every tribe member would escape unscathed. And that was something that Resna had to accept.

* * *

><p><em>*Three Weeks Later*<em>

Bali and Atem were successful in many things for the past month, and Egypt seemed to be rebuilding nicely.

"Atem, I received a letter from your sister!" Bali called this beautiful morning. It was routine for her to go to the throne room to greet her husband before going off to train with Akhenaden and Seth. Atem sat forward on his throne with a smile. He had received many reports from Syria and Mindana, but this letter was the first from Sarin. Bali sat on her own, new throne next to him and began to read aloud. The Royal Guardians listened with interest.

"My dear friend and brother,

I write to you with great news! I am now with child, and I am pleased to say that everything is going along well. The midwife expects the baby to be born during the harvest. Syria is peaceful and prosperous thanks to you. But I hear even greater news!

You two are finally married, sitting on the throne as King and Queen! This excites me like nothing else! I do hope everything goes well in Egypt. I miss all of you very much, and I wish you all the best!

Sincerely with Love,

Sarin-an-Munad, Queen of Syria." Bali read out, and everyone smiled throughout. Atem sat back seeming satisfied.

"That is excellent to hear. I'm glad you came and told us all, Bali. We've been concerned about her for some time now." Shimon commented from his spot beside Atem. Bali nodded. She wasn't as excited as she probably should have been. She felt queasy and sick. Bali masked her discomfort however so no one would get suspicious.

"Right. I have to go train now. Is that okay, husband?" Bali asked sarcastically, and Atem waved her off with a similar type of humored look she was giving him. Bali made her way to the training area with Akhenaden and Seth following at a respectful distance. They were required to do this, now that she was queen.

"My Queen, I would like to see your archery skills once more. Perhaps there is something we can improve on." Akhenaden suggested, though all of them knew what that was supposed to really mean. Akhenaden was not concerned with Bali's skill, but Seth's. Akhenaden was hoping to get Seth to learn by example. Bali was more than welcome to the idea, much to Seth's unspoken dismay.

"Of course, Master Akhenaden. I believe that I can always get better. Practice makes perfect." Bali sang, but she stopped suddenly and bent over holding her stomach as the nausea took over.

"Queen Bali, are you all right?" both men asked in alarm, as Bali's face turned a slight shade of green. She hurried over to a small garden of plants and proceeded to vomit. The two guardians looked at each other in confusion, but ordered a servant off to retrieve Mahad and Bali's two maids. The maids arrived first, saying Mahad was waiting in the Pharaoh's suite. Mery and Su hurried Bali to the room, stopping every once in awhile so she could release the contents of her stomach. Bali was exhausted by the time she was finally back in bed, with Mahad looking her over. Isis had appeared as well, though Bali wasn't feeling well enough to tease about it.

"My Queen, have you eaten anything- oh my..." Mahad started, but when he waved his hands over her abdomen he stopped. He stood analyzing in his head.

"Mahad, what is it?" Bali rasped, Isis curiously coming up next to him.

"My Queen... You are..." Mahad stuttered slightly. Bali had a feeling on what he was about to say, but she didn't want to believe it quite yet.

"I'm what?" She asked quietly.

"You're pregnant." He said simply, yet he was quite astonished. There were gasps strewn about the room, and Bali let her head fall back in disbelief. Isis thanked Mahad and insisted that he leave for the time being.

"I feel that this is my fault for not getting that charm to you sooner." Isis sighed, as Bali kept quiet trying to process what exactly was happening.

"No, I should have been more careful. But I'm not going to let this child be a regret. I guess you'd better call your mother to the palace. But first, I think I'd like to have a few moments with my husband, if you please." Bali hinted, and Isis, Mery and Su left to retrieve the Pharaoh.

After about ten minutes, Atem came rushing in alone, an ever so worried expression on his face.

"Bali, Mahad and Isis told me you were sick. Is this true? Is it serious?" He asked urgently, standing beside the bed with one of her hands in his. Bali snorted.

"You could say that." Bali mumbled, though Atem heard and tilted his head in confusion and concern.

"What do you mean?"

"You know this charm around my wrist?"

"Yes."

"You remember that first night?"

"Of course."

"I didn't have that charm then."

"Oh. And?"

"Connect the dots, genius."

"..."

"..."

"I don't get what you're trying to say."

"I'm pregnant."

"Oh, okay. If that's all- Wait, what?"

"I'm going to have a baby. Your baby."

"Seriously?"

"Would I lie about something like this? Honestly, you piss me off sometimes!"

"Sorry! But Bali, this is wonderful news!" Atem exclaimed, dropping to his knees in surprise. He kissed Bali's cheek with excitement.

"What are we going to name it?"

"Could we please just get through the next eight months before we start thinking about that?"

"Of course, of course! I can't believe it!" Atem started with delight, leaving Bali to run out so he could tell everyone of their great fortune.

"Neither can I. Oh mom, I wish you were here."

* * *

><p>Resna and every single member of his tribe were across the border and strategically placed throughout the land. Resna made sure to emphasize his point on not raising suspicion. So far, the Royal Guardians were clueless. The palace was too ecstatic because of the recent news that their Queen was going to give birth.<p>

"All of the main forces are here in the city, Akshem. Just give the word and we're ready." Resna relayed over dinner with the nobleman. Akshem, in Resna's mind, was a truly evil man. The noble could cast a spellon himself to make him look different. In fact, Resna wasn't sure if 'Akshem' was the man's real name, or his appearance now his real form.

"Excellent. Dear, dear friend, I suppose I should tell you who I really am, no? How can there be trust if you know nothing of me?" Akshem cackled, rising from his chair. Resna gave surprised look, and if one looked carefully, one would see fear.

Akshem transformed before his eyes, shadows growing on the walls and moving about as if they were alive. Akshem grew bigger, more muscular, and his hair turned to long golden strands. He wore a cape and indigo pants bloused to his brown boots. A blue pendant hung from his neck, strangely reminiscent of the Pharaoh's Millennium Puzzle. Resna was stilled with fear, gripping his chair and mouth sealed shut. Akshem looked at him with an evil glint in his eyes.

"I am Anubis." His deeper, rougher voice crashed. Resna swallowed with difficulty.

"W-what is your pendant there?" Resna ventured to ask, and Anubis' following laugh made Resna cringe as shivers traveled down his spine.

"This is the Pyramid of Light, the one thing that that _child _cannot stand against. But, my dear Resna, there is something _else _that I have discovered about our new Queen," Anubis led on. Resna took the hint.

"And what's that, sir?"

"She has a monster inside of her, and I believe it is a _god_." Anubis answered, sitting once more, his eyes staring unblinkingly at Resna. Resna felt more uncomfortable than ever before.

"What, like the fabled god monsters Obelisk the Tormentor and Slifer the Sky Dragon?"

"Exactly like them. My Pyramid of Light can repel these monsters, my dear friend. When I shot her at the wedding ceremony, I felt the same I had felt when I met her in the library. I'm going to take control of the gods, adding to my own nearly invincible monsters. Thank you for being a part of this glorious revolution!" Anubis cheered, but Resna could only meekly raise his glass and take a sip of wine.

"What have I done?" He thought in despair. He had made a pact with the devil himself. Anubis caught Resna's attention once more with his last order of business.

"Begin the execution."

* * *

><p>Bali and Atem were cuddled with each other sleeping peacefully when Mahad burst into their room.<p>

"Your majesties, Thebes is under attack!" He cried, and both Bali and Atem snapped up in alarm.

"Gather the Guardians and defend! Hurry!"Atem yelled, pulling on some proper attire in unison with Bali. As Mahad went, Atem stopped to look over at Bali.

"Bali, you can't go. I don't want the baby to be hurt."

"Atem, the baby will be fine. I'll be shooting arrows from the palace rooftops. I promise I'm going to watch your back!" Bali persuaded, and Atem smirked.

"Have it your way. So let it be said, so let it be done."

"So mote it be!" Bali replied, the two racing off to pursue their own given imperial orders. Before Bali parted from Atem, she tossed her sword to him.

"I'm not going to use it." Bali simply stated and raced for the stairs leading to the rooftops with her Nubian bow and arrows. Atem tied the sword to his belt and went on.

...

"Who is responsible?" Atem yelled angrily, and the guardians all seemed anxious to help the people to answer.

"It is the tribe that we thought had resolved its problem. But they're being led by a strange man with a blue pendant not unlike the Millennium Puzzle." Shada replied quickly, deciding that someone had to inform the irate Pharaoh.

"Interesting. Shada, Isis! Go to the rooftops and help Bali!"

"Yes sir!"

"The rest of you, protect Thebes with all of your power!"

* * *

><p><strong>Oooh, evil people. Everyone knows who this new villain is right? You know, the YGO movie? <strong>

**Anyways, some brilliant new stuff is going to happen next chapter! And I bet everyone's happy that Bali's going to have a baby! I know I'm excited!**

**Reviews are always welcome, craved and pleasing. I hope that you learned from this latest chapter, because there are a lot of hints about what is going to happen! Bye!**


	27. Wish Granted

**I'VE FINALLY UPDATED! I've been dying to do so, but school has bogged me down and I had a giant spell of writer's block that even affected my schoolwork! **

**Thankfully, my birthday (12/9) has caused me to jump start and I've got my enthusiasm back! Hooray! **

**The Anzu vs. Bali story is finished, but it won't come out for awhile because it contains information...**

**Anyways! There is a poll up on my profile asking what you would like the baby to be, which includes twins. I can't decide, and I have a bunch of people telling me all sorts of different stuff, so you guys get to vote. The poll will be open until the sixteenth, so don't procrastinate and just do it after you read this chapter. Or do it now, and then read the chapter. Whichever works for you. Seriously guys, if there aren't enough votes, I'll do something drastic and you REALLY don't want that!**

**FUN FACT!: After writing the oh so wonderful Anzu vs. Bali short story, I've decided that I'll write a short story about Bali meeting Yugi as well. It'll be completely separate of the Anzu story, and won't actually happen in An Historic Discovery. I just had the idea and I think it would be worthwhile. Who knows, maybe I'll have her meet Seto Kaiba too (Bali: "Dammit, even now he's a stubborn bastard with a stick up his ass!"). My imagination likes to run sometimes.**

**I don't own YGO! or anything that obviously isn't mine!**

**With that, I hope you immensely enjoy this installation of An Historic Discovery!**

* * *

><p>Thebes was in utter chaos, with innocents fleeing for their lives but having nowhere to go. Every avenue of escape had been blocked by groups of tribal fighters, not excluding women.<p>

Atem was at a loss for words as he reached the ground level of the destruction.

"Your majesty, we must get civilians inside the palace! The enemy has not made their way here yet, and they will be safe under my magic!" Mahad yelled, fending off different attackers from the people struggling to get away.

"Then make it so!" Atem called back, activating his Dyat-Dyankh to help defend his home. Whilst summoning a monster to his aid, a group of armed men came barreling through a wall, catching Atem and Mahad by surprise.

"It's the king! Get him!" one yelled, and the gruff pack charged. Atem put his hand to Bali's sword, but the group fell slain instantaneously. Atem released his guard momentarily and looked to the sky as his monster took care of any who charged afterwards.

"Bali, thank you."

...

Bali stood proudly atop the palace, grinning despite the dire situation Thebes was in.

"You're welcome." She muttered. Bali reached to her side to prepare an arrow while Shada and Isis directed their summoned monsters to scout the area. They had to concentrate, so Bali had to command the league of archers atop the palace surrounding her. All was going well, for a surprise attack. Of course, Bali desperately wanted to be fighting alongside Atem, but she knew that sniping from above would be the closest she would get.

"Keep it up, archers, they're counting on continuous back-up down there!" Bali encouraged, shooting a few arrows herself. She had the longest range, and some stood watching in awe at her form.

"It is true," They whispered among themselves.

"The goddess with a swift arrow!"

* * *

><p>"Resna, isn't it simply marvelous? The terror, the screams! When I gained my powers, I changed my name to honor the god who bestowed them to me. Such great fortune and you have helped to make it all happen!" Anubis cheered, walking calmly through the destruction as if it were a field of flowers. Resna stared around in guilt and sadness, seeing just how much destruction his decisions had made, for both innocent civilians and for his people.<p>

"Anubis, we should just push on to the palace and get this over with instead of depleting my tribe like this." Resna mustered, gathering all of the courage within him to speak out. Anubis stopped, frowned and stared at him, the eye on the pyramid of light glinting in the light of a nearby fire. His demeanor changed once more as he began to scream with laughter while walking away.

"Foolish Resna, do you not realize? The death of your tribe is to feed my power, a part of my plan from the beginning!" He chided, and Resna fell to his knees, somehow being spared from the psychopath.

"No..." Resna muttered, his spirit broken. Anubis stopped a was down the street and turned with a grin.

"But perhaps you are right. There's a certain special monarch that is drawing my attention. You should sit back and relax; enjoy this beautiful genocide I've created with your help."

Resna huddled to himself, holding his head in shame, feeling every bit as evil as the man who was walking away from him. Screams rang in Resna's ear, and the once great leader of the tribe beat the ground in a torturous rage, tears streaming down his face as he was driven mad by his own mournful guilt.

...

Atem was getting tired. Fighting the tribe was exhausting, as they were all well-trained for combat. What was worse was protecting the citizens from every sort of attack, be it from the enemy or otherwise.

"Pharaoh! Take a rest for a few moments and I will take over for your-ah!" Mahad called out, but with his loss of concentration came a lapse in guard, which let his Illusion Magician get attacked. Mahad knelt to the ground in pain.

"Mahad!-"

"Well well, hello little king." A voice called from a smoke-filled wind. Atem glared in the direction, strangely remembering the woman's voice from the dream so long ago. Their summoned monsters couldn't move for some reason, and Atem realized that they were almost completely defenseless, and that the man before them was the true antagonist behind the attack.

"Who are you?" Atem growled, and the sacred guardians (minus Shada and Isis, of course) gathered around Atem to give him support. A man, with a gaze of malice, and a terrible grin that told of his pleasure for war stood before them. His cape billowed behind him, drenched in blood.

"Lovely day, isn't it Pharaoh? All of these years, I waited and honed my skills to perfection while you ran about being the ignorant child, while I played the loyal fool. This land will fall to the power of my pyramid of light!" Anubis preached, walking about as a lecturer would. Bali watched from above, frustrated because he was just out of range.

"I will never allow you to destroy my country!" Atem bellowed, but Anubis broke out into chuckles, causing brows to furrow throughout the group.

"I changed my own name to honor the god who gave me my magic! Only the powers of a real god can stop me, you fool! The only one who has the strength hidden inside is your dear little queen." Anubis stated, looking sharply up and meeting Bali's gaze. Bali stepped back in surprise.

"What?" Atem snapped, but Anubis waved his hands down towards his feet and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The group of guardians stared around in wonder, but Atem cursed loudly and ran for the palace.

"Your majesty, where are you going?"

"He's after Bali!" He screamed back.

* * *

><p>Bali was face to face with the most vile person she had ever encountered. He smelled of burnt and rotting flesh, and his eyes were the pits of hell.<p>

"Hello, Queen." He greeted, and Bali recognized the voice.

"You're that man from the library..."

"So good of you to remember me. I suppose you think you're nothing too special, no? I have to disagree. There's something inside you that I wish to control." Anubis sneered, and Bali took a step back.

"My queen!" Shada called out, and he and Isis broke their focus to try and fight. Shadows immediately grappled them to the ground with an uttered word from Anubis. The two guardians struggled, just as the other archers did once they were caught.

"That's right; suffer! Your despair brings me power." Anubis muttered with a gratified smile. Meanwhile Bali thought about what Anubis was talking about.

"He can't possibly mean the baby..." Bali churned, gripping her bow and reaching for an arrow. Shadowed hands caught hers and held them tightly. They burned, and Bali pulled at the restraints in reaction.

"I don't want you getting away, this is a careful process. I want you and your lover to bear all of my wrath slowly and sweetly. The god inside of you will be mine!" Anubis crowed, and Bali's eyes widened.

"God?" She whispered, wincing in pain.

"Yes, and unfortunately, this will kill you. Too bad too, you're such a beautiful lady."

"Pig." Bali spat, and Anubis wiped his face and muttered something with a maniacal grin.

"As you like." His hand glowed, and he punched it forward to Bali's stomach. She closed her eyes to brace for impact.

Atem rounded the corner onto the roof and watched as Anubis surged forward with a fist blazing with magic. He stopped in horror. Anubis seemed to connect, but Bali disappeared with a bright, golden flash of light. Atem started forward once more.

"BALI!"

* * *

><p>Bali opened her eyes once more, feeling a sensation she hadn't felt since she had arrived in Egypt.<p>

"Kitten, are you awake? You really scared me there. I never thought that this would get so out of control." Ra admitted, though to what Bali had no clue.

"Where are we?" Bali asked, regaining her composure.

"The subspace between worlds. I saved you from that monster."

"I have to go back, Ra." Bali stated with a tone of finality. Ra looked surprised.

"You can't be serious! He'll destroy you!"

"He said I have a god inside me. I need to know what he meant." Bali told him, and Ra sighed.

"If that's what you want to know, I can tell you, seeing as I'm the cause of this mess." Ra replied guiltily.

"What." Bali said flatly, her irritation flaring. But a strange sensation built inside of her as she did so and she gained a surprised look.

"When you passed my trial, which you were destined to do, I planted something inside of you, in your soul. A beast that would feed off of your anger and hatred and grow into a power that you would wield. This beast was not supposed to grow as strong as you have made it, Bali. It is stronger than the other two god-beasts that already exist. The first is an embodiment of the power of Geb, the earth god, called Obelisk the Tormentor. The second is Slifer the Sky Dragon, a monster created by Osiris to guard the afterlife. Unlike the beasts your friends call upon, shadows that grow within the hearts of man, these beasts are the wills of the gods. Your god-beast is a mixture of these two elements, and therefore much more powerful than any other. Your wild temper of late is caused by this beast. The problem is, you cannot harness this power until you are a god, which will automatically happen once you prove yourself worthy." Ra explained, his expression remaining the same throughout the entirety of his speech.

"And you didn't tell me because... why?" Bali inquired, swallowing the round out curses and explicit language.

"Bali, you never found out why your father turned his back on you, did you?" Ra asked, making Bali's eyes narrow and her arms cross.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Bali, that human was not your biological father. Your mother and I are your parents. But I had to go away because of my role as a god, and your mother wanted you to have a normal human life up until your destiny called you to me."

There was silence as Bali computed his words.

"That's a lie. I've never heard such horrible and senseless things spoken before! How the hell do you expect me to believe that, you filthy bastard! My mother loved my father, even if he never loved me!" Bali screeched, her arms coming out to her sides, her fists clenched and a burning glare upon her features. Ra stared at her sadly and Bali stuttered and calmed.

"No..."

"She was engaged to a man who was cold, and would never treat her the way she wished. She didn't love him, and while I was down in the human world securing a powerful spell, we met. You were born and I realized what you were meant to do." Ra explained more, revealing a fact that Bali never would have guessed.

"You're a regular Zeus*, you know that?" Bali managed to mutter, and Ra cracked a wry grin.

"Unfortunately, there is truth to that statement. But Bali, you need to go back to your time. I realize now that it isn't safe for you to be in Egypt anymore. You were right to have revolted when we first met, and now I am granting your wish to return home." Ra sorrowfully established, his conviction set in stone.

"Ra, wai-!" Bali began to protest, but Ra snapped his fingers and Bali went away, just as when she first went to Egypt.

* * *

><p>Bali couldn't believe what was happening. It was dark on the wet cobblestone street that Bali was facing. She vaguely recognized it, and shivered because of the cold she had grown unfamiliar with.<p>

"No..." Bali whimpered, seeing her old archaeologist attire had returned. The sound of a door opening behind her startled her and she turned defensively. She faced a very surprised Evelyn O'Connell, whose mouth was open in shock. Bali was about to try and explain herself when she was enveloped in a hug.

"Where have you been? Rick and I have searched everywhere for you. Come inside and explain everything." her teacher soothed, pulling her inside the warm, homey mansion, artifacts hanging everywhere.

"RICK! Bali's returned!" Evelyn yelled, and there was a hurried series of footsteps down the stairs until Evelyn's American husband appeared. He jogged up and peered into Bali's eyes, which blinked curiously despite their sadness.

"Where have you been?" He muttered, noticing Bali's change in demeanor.

Bali was led upstairs to a room, and her teacher got her into a comfortable nightgown and brought her to a sitting room, where Rick was already sitting with steaming cups of tea for the three of them. All sat and hunkered down for the doozy of a story Bali was about to tell.

And boy, what a story it was.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey, soooooo cool, right? You're all amazed, yes? I am, and I wrote the blasted thing!<strong>

***The Zeus thing, if you don't know, has to do with Greek mythology. Zeus used to sleep around, stalking human women and having lots of demi-god children. Of course, Bali isn't even demi-god, so the similarities stop there.**

**Don't forget to vote if you haven't already, and I don't own the two characters Rick and Evelyn O'Connell. No worries, there won't be any sacred walking corpses coming around any time soon... or are there?**

**:D I've worked hard on this chapter, getting over my block to bring you this, so now it's time to do your part: Review as usual, as a lovely birthday gift to me! 18 is a big year, you know! I would appreciate some thoughts, ideas and all that other beautiful stuff! I know I won't take as long to update because Winter Break is coming up!**


	28. Halfway There!

**Heya guys, here's the next chapter, and it's pretty long! I have the results of the poll as well!**

***Drum Roll*... TWINS. A boy and a girl. You guys are going to kill me with this one, but I said I would do it, so I am. A ninja never goes back on his word (even if this ninja happens to be an air-head...and a girl). **

**FUN FACT ABOUT BALI!: I figured some of you would like to know about Bali, you know, stuff that won't be mentioned in the story. So! Bali's favorite fruits are bananas and peaches. She set off the fire alarms at boarding school to avoid inspections and once caught a chemistry lab on fire. All in all, she is a really good match for Atem. Which we've already seen of course!**

**Enjoy everyone, I know I did! It's pretty freakin' cool!**

* * *

><p>Bali sat in the tense silence that followed the end of her story. Rick and Evelyn couldn't find any words to say that would help.<p>

Their once boisterous apprentice was now silent and withdrawn.

"Bali, you should get some sleep. We still have to take care of that baby." Evelyn finally said, shooting Rick a look that said 'let me handle this.' Rick disappeared, and Evelyn led Bali out of the study and to a guest room. After Bali was securely in bed, Evelyn went to the master bedroom to talk to Rick and to tend to their own child.

"Rick, we've got to get her back there." Was the first thing out of her mouth, and Rick gave her a stunned expression.

"What? How are we going to do that? We are not going back to Hamunaptra to dig up those books!" Rick replied, but Evelyn waved her hand at him in a brushing motion.

"No, that's not what I mean. Bali needs to get her spirit back, and we have to go back to the temple where she took the challenge of Ra- her father. My goodness, if I had known who she was, I would've never sent her there in the first place, although destiny always plays a big part in things, I suppose. And to think that Ambrose was swayed to that meat-head Corman's side, and we didn't even realize."

"Hey, at least they're gone now. Evelyn, why are you staring at that book?" Rick commented, noticing that she had stopped paying attention to all but the giant tome in front of her.

"Rick, she's in here. This book was rewritten with an extra chapter all about her," Evelyn mumbled, but a bright flash of lightening followed almost immediately by earth-shaking thunder interrupted her. Evelyn was unfazed, while Rick looked out the window in puzzlement.

"That sorcerer's name was Anubis, receiving his powers through a test much like the one Bali had to endure, but this man was evil. And so far in this history, he's winning."

"Well, there's definitely a reason for the sudden violent storm out there. London doesn't get storms like this." Rick answered, bracing himself against a bedpost when another peal of thunder sounded.

"Rick, she has to go back because she doesn't belong here anymore. We have to help her find her spirit again. She's the only one who can stop him now, and that's only if she can appeal to the fates enough to receive godhood." Evelyn stated, snapping the book shut and facing her husband.

"She has to get back to that husband of hers, too." Rick mentioned, and Evelyn couldn't help but grin despite the dire situation.

"Of all the people, I never would have guessed Bali. But then again, destiny has a way of changing paths. Let's hope that Pharaoh Atem and his priests can hold out."

* * *

><p>Atem's heart seemed shattered, as he had sunk to his knees in disbelief and sorrow. Seth and the other priests caught up with him, and had already realized the worst had happened. Luckily however, Seth noticed that something wasn't quite right about Anubis.<p>

"If Queen Bali is destroyed, why does he look so confused?" He pointed out, and indeed he was right; Anubis looked almost frustrated because he couldn't figure out what had happened.

"This doesn't make any sense... That woman was no god, and yet... My blow didn't even connect..." Anubis muttered, pacing about. Because his concentration was broken, the archers, Shada and Isis were now free, and rushed over to Atem.

Atem stood with a burning glare, any sense of mercy gone from his mind.

"You... Anubis, what have you done?" Atem yelled spitefully, though Anubis just turned towards him in a nonchalant fashion.

"I'll admit, I was about to kill her for the beast inside of her, but... She's gone. If you still want to fight, I'd be glad to. But that woman was your only hope, and now she is gone. So what is it going to be? Surrender, or die?" Anubis offered, his mood turning back to what it once was.

"Never! I will bring her back!"

It was a promise he knew not if he could fulfill, but a promise it was.

* * *

><p>Bali couldn't think of anything that she wanted to do more than to see her mother again. Everything would be certain if her mother told her so. She couldn't sleep because there was an emptiness filling her mind. All that she could keep a tight grip on was the still persistent resentment of Egypt. Bali decided to think on it while laying there, trying to shut out the storm raging outside.<p>

"Everything would have been okay if she hadn't been taken away. And my supposed 'father' knew from the very beginning. He made me do this, stringing me along like some stupid little puppet! As for that dream..." Bali argued within her head, though Ra was not there to defend himself, something she was not used to. She thought back to a dream she had had when in the Syrian camp. Ra had saved her and let her mother fall to her death. He had let her _die_, yet he claims to have cared about her. It made Bali's anger grow more. Tears escaped her eyes as she sat up quickly, shoving her legs over the side of the bed and pressing her hands to her face.

"I've never been in control at all! Dammit!" she yelled, but jumped slightly when a hand gently landed on her shoulder. Bali looked slowly up to see who it was.

"My little Bali, you are still as lively as always."

"Mom..."

* * *

><p>Evelyn and Rick had done it. Evelyn found an old script that, if read correctly, would allow them to converse with the gods.<p>

"So where exactly did you get this and why didn't you tell me about it?"

"I haven't told anyone about it because it's too important. I felt the need to protect it. Now calm down, being nervous won't do well at all."

"I'm not nervous, just a little hurt that you didn't tell me about this."

"Oh, I'll give a proper apology later, but right now we need to help save humanity. That is, after all, what we do best." Evelyn commented with a smile, which Rick returned. Their memories of their dear old mummy back in Hamunaptra came to mind, a symbol of when they had first met.

"Alright, so how do we do this?"

"Just sit back and don't worry; leave everything to me right now." Evelyn said calmly, and took a deep breath before she began reciting whatever she had to. Rick watched as a flame lit itself in the middle of the floor, though there was no damage or smoke. Just the light and the heat. A figure began to form and Evelyn finished whatever she had been saying. Evelyn stood, motioning Rick to follow. The man before them looked sadly down at them, as if he was depressed over something he had done.

"Hello, Rick and Evelyn O'Connell." He said, his voice quiet compared to his stature. Evelyn stuck her left foot forward and bowed, hitting Rick so he would do the same. Rick was surprised that the man could speak English.

"What do you wish from me?" The man sounded again, and Evelyn, despite facing Ra, took a strong stand.

"I am not what needs attention. Bali needs to return to Egypt, or else this world will be destroyed. You know that, don't you?" She bellowed. Ra stared straight ahead.

"She will die if she returns." Ra replied flatly.

"How do you know for certain?"

"I do not, however; I am not willing to take that chance. Not after everything I've already done to her."

"You're an idiot, if you don't mind me saying so."

"Eve-" Rick started, but Evelyn put her hand in his face to make him quiet.

"I can understand wanting to protect your child. I'm a parent too. But when Bali came under my apprenticeship, she was incomplete. All she had was her own fire to keep her going, while dealing with the loneliness abandonment gave her. She found you, and you gave her something she never thought she would ever get. She now knows you're her biological father, and somewhere inside her heart she's so happy. She has all of her friends back at that ancient palace, and so many lives depending on her. And she has the one person that will stay by her side no matter what, and a child now to strengthen that already incredibly strong bond. Despite what she might say, she is grateful to you for all of this. The only way to make her truly happy is to send her back to where she belongs! So find a way to get her spark back!" Evelyn demanded, and the words seemed to hit home with the super-powerful god. Evelyn stared him down with finality, her conviction still present though not vocal.

Ra was silent, having to really interpret what he had just been told by Evelyn, a simple human. Ra sighed, and bowed low towards the couple.

"You are absolutely correct. Now, the only way I know that will help, is for Bali to see her mother." Ra started, and Evelyn smiled ecstatically and listened to the god's plan.

...

And so, Bali was speaking with her mother.

* * *

><p>"Mom, this is impossible! Ra said even gods can't bring you back, I-"<p>

"Bali, it is okay! I am here solely for your sake because your father asked a great favor of every force in the universe. Fortunately and unfortunately, my time here is only to spend consoling your troubles and to answer your questions. Oh, but you have grown up so beautifully, and I hear I'm going to be a grandmother?" Bali's mother asked playfully, throwing an arm around her daughter's shoulders in a hug. Bali chuckled slightly through tears that were streaming out of her eyes.

"Yeah, that's right. I don't know if you've heard about Atem, but he's the father. He's the best." Bali answered, with an enthusiasm she really hadn't showed since her mother died.

"And you're a champion queen? You always did like getting into trouble. Like when you took revenge on those neighbor boys for making fun of you by destroying their tree house. I guess not much has changed since then?" Her mother laughed, and Bali giggled with remembrance.

"They had it coming. But, mom?" Bali questioned, her tone turning somber. Her mother gave her a look of concern.

"Yes, Bali?"

"Why did you leave? I never wanted you to go away, and why did Ra let you fall?" Bali choked out, sniffing because she began to sob.

"Oh, Bali, I am so sorry you had to go through such pain. But you had to live, no matter what. Your father is bound by the rules of heaven and could not do more than what he had done. You Bali, may have had a life of hardship, but look at where it has gotten you. You have a wonderful life, and something to live for, something to protect. My something was you, when that tomb collapsed. Your father realized that you were his something just now, and panicked in a way only a father can. He has other children, your half-brothers and sisters, but they are all gods, and immune to destruction unless caused by another god. But you are human as you are now, vulnerable despite how strong you really are. When you transform into a god, you will be able to overcome the evil that has invaded Egypt. You are sworn to protect your home, Bali. Now all you have to do is get back." Her mother explained, and Bali took deep breaths to calm herself, wiping her face off and bringing herself back together, all the while turning those thoughts over in her head.

"But mom, all this time I've hated Egypt! How can I just change my mind?" Bali inquired, though her words were somewhat empty.

"You never hated Egypt Bali. You just never truly let go of me, and accepted that I was gone. Besides, don't you love it there?" her mother asked with a grin, and Bali returned it.

"Of course!" She responded, a feeling of something being lifted off of her shoulders making her spring up.

"I have to leave now Bali. I love you." Her mother told her, sitting back slightly with a relieved smile. Bali turned with a grin, and even a couple of gathering tears in her eyes.

"I love you too mom. I'll do you proud, I promise." Bali replied, giving a thumbs up. Bali's mother disappeared with a small chuckle. Bali sat watching that spot for a few seconds before wiping her eyes quickly and striding to a wardrobe, taking out her outfit she had gone to Egypt in.

"Dr. O'Connell, we have to get going!" Bali yelled, using a strong and charismatic voice that she admittedly learned from Atem.

"Good, because we're leaving." Evelyn replied suddenly, walking in the door with Rick in tow.

"But, what about Alex?"

"He'll be fine, we've got a nanny on-call 24/7. Now, we must hurry, the plane will be leaving soon!" Evelyn scolded, and Bali pulled on her shoes and followed them out to the car, where they went tumbling through London.

"Please hold out for me, Atem. I'm coming home!" Bali thought, but she turned to her teacher with a puzzled look.

"Where exactly are we going?"

"Oh Bali!" she replied with a laugh, and Bali crossed her arms indignantly.

"It's not that bad of a question."

* * *

><p>After a day of travel, they finally landed in Cairo, where they immediately went to the museum. Things were getting dicey all around them, with hail and fire storms, and general panic everywhere.<p>

Still, they managed to get across the Nile, following Bali's directions towards the temple of the trial. It took another day on camels to get to the vicinity of the temple in Libya.

"Bali, are you sure you know where you're going? Everything looks the same around here, I'm surprised you even found it the first time!" Rick yelled across to her, and Bali laughed.

"I feel special now, thanks!"

"Stop fooling around you two, we've found it!" Evelyn cheered, pointing out a temple dug into a cliff covered with sand (making it look almost as if the temple was built into a sand dune). Bali sucked up a breath, remembering everything that had happened those months ago. Once they had cleared the few hundred meters of distance, they pitched the camels and walked forward to the entrance, with Bali leading.

"Geez, the corpse of that one guy is still here. Sorry about that." Bali thought, stepping over it carefully while Evelyn and Rick looked to each other.

"Dr. O'Connell, I have no idea what to do now, but I'll take you to where it all started out." Bali explained, and Rick held up his flashlight for light. But when he did, Bali felt something inside her change, and her instinct transformed.

"There's no need." Bali told him, and just as Rick was about to question what she was talking about, Bali snapped her fingers and there was illumination from no given source.

"Okay... that's freaky." Rick commented, earning a slap on the shoulder from Evelyn.

"It seems I'm starting to get my powers. Well, here we are." Bali retorted, and she spread her arms to introduce the room. Evelyn dashed over to the sign where Bali's challenge was held before, but Bali turned immediately to the empty stone slab. With only her finger, she wrote the message that came to mind.

"You are my father, I finally see.

I am here to complete my destiny." She wrote, the heiratic writing glowing gold as her finger passed by. The stone slab shuttered, and slid down into the floor revealing the passageway. down the corridor she went, not bothering to wait for Rick and Evelyn. She didn't even touch the door at the end, as it opened by itself. She walked through and straight up to the statue of Hapi. She gripped the sides of his head and leaned down to look into his eyes. Rick and Evelyn caught up with her right then, and watched with curiosity.

Bali, instead of falling into the illusion once more, set an illusion of the war she had gone through, with all of her terror and sorrow and guilt laced into it. She stood up as the next corridor showed itself.

"Bali, how are you doing this?" Evelyn asked, following Bali as the slowly-developing goddess seemed to freeze and deactivate every trap with a wave of her hand. Bali shrugged.

"I am doing what my heart tells me. It sounds weird, but that's what I feel." Bali answered after a short pause to think. When they entered the next room, Rick and Evelyn jumped in surprise as Bali disappeared with a flash of light.

"Bali, wait!" Evelyn cried, but her voice echoed throughout the chamber. Bali's light, however, had not faded.

...

"Hello, Bali."

"Hello, Isis."

"Are you ready to begin?"

"More so now than ever."

"Good. HYAH!" Isis lunged, a sword appearing in her grip as she did. Bali flung herself to the side and summoned up her own sword, the sword she had used the last time she had fought Isis.

The fight went much differently than the last time. Bali was evenly matched with Isis, and neither had time to fling comments at each other. Though it was this way, neither lost their intensity. They paused for a breather when they broke apart from a small struggle.

"You have learned the ways of combat perfectly. Now go, protect your husband and good luck!" Isis commanded, and Bali bowed quickly before transporting herself back to Rick and Evelyn in the temple.

"Sorry about that, just another part of the trial. Father, I have returned to ask you to return me to my homeland!" Bali apologized quickly, but yelled into the room loudly afterwards. With a burst of flame and light, Ra appeared, a proud and loving smile on his face. Behind him stood another woman, someone that looked like the Egyptian version of Bali, with dark skin and eyes.

"Bali, you have come a long way. I'm sorry for everything that I've done to you, but now I am proud to present you with the power you rightfully deserve. Your sister Ma'at, myself, and Rick and Evelyn O'Connell are to bear witness to your transformation. Come, Kitten. Take my hand." Ra ordered kindly, holding out his hand towards her. Bali stepped forward and took it, and felt a surge of energy when she did. Bali gripped Ra's hand for stability, and he squeezed back to reassure her. Once it was done, Ra scooped her up in his arms with joy.

"My daughter, I am so glad to have you back." He whispered in her ear, and Bali nodded into his shoulder.

"Thank you dad." She mumbled back and Ra set her on the floor. Bali turned towards Rick and Evelyn.

"I have a feeling I won't ever really see you again. Thank you for everything. Make sure Alex grows up to be like me: smart and strong." Bali thanked, bowing slightly to convey her gratefulness.

"Of course Bali. Take care of yourself and that baby." Evelyn replied, choking up slightly with tears, retrieving her handkerchief from her pocket. Rick put a supporting arm around her shoulders.

"Go save the world and do us proud." He encouraged, and Bali gave him a thumbs up. After that, Ra snapped his fingers and they were swallowed in the flame, leaving Evelyn and Rick to their own paths of life.

...

"Bali, you are not full-power yet. You are only a demi-goddess, and the beast is still inside of you. Your final task to become a god in the fullest sense is yours and yours alone to figure out." Ra explained, and Bali crossed her arms.

"Well that doesn't help me. Why is everything so difficult?"

"Well, we can't let just anyone become a god."

"True enough. Well, I've got a country to save, so I'll be leaving now."

"You are the representative of the gods Bali! Do not lose!" Ra told her with seriousness. Bali only smirked and winked.

"Father, that's quite impossible." she retorted, and with a snap of her fingers, she returned to Egypt.

* * *

><p><strong>Wowee, whadda chapter! This is going to be awesome! Tell me what you guys think with reviews, and I'll update as soon as I can! Happy holidays everyone!<strong>

**I hope all of you are excited for Bali becoming a goddess. Because she'll be adding on even more power once she actually returns to the battle! ^_^ I also hope that Bali's beloved babies are acceptable (it should be since you people voted for them). 'Til next time!**


	29. The Race

**Oh yeah baby, I'm back! This chapter is going to bring around some old friends, only with new faces. I had tons of time to write this, as I got a week off of school because of a giant snow storm! First one of the season too!**

**This chapter is the in-between of Bali arriving in Egypt and getting to the Palace. The next chapter will be the final battle, but I doubt that you'll dislike this chapter. **

**Anyways, we have gotten to 270 reviews! Holy crap! My question is, will it be 300 by chapter 30? It's all up to you guys, of course! I appreciate all who review, I love answering to each and every one! This story wouldn't be possible without feedback, and I just wouldn't have as much drive as I do now!**

**Well, I guess the next thing to do is give you a FUN FACT!: Nicknames! Everyone usually has them, and as I've said before, Egyptians have them too! Why is this? Well, nicknames were used so evil spirits could not hear your real name, and latch onto you with curses or take over you and other miscellaneous bad things! The Egyptians truly believed that having a nickname was an important thing! My own nickname is Fred Hodgins. I don't think any evil spirits are going to drag me down into the Shadow Realm anytime soon.**

**Even if this chapter is a little filler-ish, it is just a calm before the storm of battle! Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Bali arrived in Egypt in the middle of the desert. The sky was unnaturally dark, irregular clouds marring the once striking and bright blue. The wind whipped the sand about viciously, unfeeling and merciless. Bali got her bearings, though her new powers let her sense that she was in the same area as when she had first fatefully arrived in Egypt. She brought her fingers to her lips and gave out a sharp whistle, piercing through the boisterous gales around her. She smiled as her seemingly whimsical act came through: Bit soon appeared, plowing through the desert without an uneasy step. He stopped before her and reared to stomp on the ground. Bali smiled, glad that Bit had not changed.<p>

"My lady, you have finally realized who you are?" Bit asked, and Bali froze as she was beginning to climb up. She leaned back to look Bit in the eye.

"Did you just talk?"

"It is more of a mind communication, my queen." Bit answered gruffly, shifting from foot to foot in impatience.

"Well excuse me, I'm new to this whole god business."

"Which is slightly ironic, seeing as many have thought you a goddess this whole time." Bit cut in.

"That's true. How long have you known that all of this was going to happen?" Bali asked, gesturing around her at the storm.

"I am an incarnation of Ra, so... the whole time." Bit answered, proud that he was superior because of Bali's lack of knowledge on everything.

"Well la-ti-da! Let's go Bit, I have to save everyone!" Bali urged, finally jumping up onto his back. Bit reared before charging full speed ahead. There was a menacing swirl of clouds towards the east. Bali assumed that that was the palace.

"Atem, just hold out a little longer and don't lose hope!" Bali prayed, glaring towards the horizon.

* * *

><p>Atem faced Anubis alone, a barrier isolating them from any interference. It had been conjured by the evil sorcerer, a powerful spell made by the Pyramid of Light, and to its likeness as well. The guardians stood watching with helplessness, for there was nothing they could do to aid their king. Their monsters weren't able to even touch the surface of the barrier.<p>

Atem wasn't faring well. The overwhelming sadness of losing Bali and his unborn child had defused his anger. That said, having rage turned to sorrow depleted his will to live, and thus made his overall power decrease exponentially. If the guardians and priests were not there for support, Atem would have fallen in defeat long before his current situation.

"My king. please listen to me!" Isis called out, and everyone turned to her. Isis had been meditating, attempting to find any hope within the darkness of the future. She had received an inkling of Bali's prayer, a sound very well received. Atem turned to slightly to listen.

"Lady Bali is not dead! I have just sensed a notion of her presence, and I can feel her spirit coming this way!" Isis finished, desperately trying to get her point across so Atem would fight with valiance once more. She smiled as Atem's tired, slumped shoulders stiffened with strength.

"Are you sure?" He breathed out slowly, but Isis heard and nodded fervently.

"I could never lie to you about this fact. Queen Bali is one of my greatest friends." Isis replied sincerely, and Atem stood to his full height, the fire of hope finally returning to his eyes.

"Please... Let it be true." He thought to himself, gripping Bali's sword. The sword glowed suddenly, surging with golden magical power. It was strengthening, and Atem could now feel Bali's presence as well. Atem rushed forward in a charge at Anubis. The struggle continued.

* * *

><p>Bali and Bit finally came to the Great River Nile, the clouds getting more intense as they worked their way along the riverbank. People were fleeing from the general direction of Thebes, so Bali guessed that everything was climaxing to something terrible.<p>

"Thebes is so close, and yet getting across the Nile will prove the most difficult task of all." Bit worried, but a shriek came from the sky. Bali craned her head to see what had erupted such a noise, and set her eyes on a large silver-winged falcon flying towards her. Bali took the hint and held out her arm, and when the falcon landed, she was surprised to find that his talons didn't hurt her at all despite having bare arms.

"I haven't seen you in awhile Kitty... Guess I can't call you that now though, since you're a queen and a demi-goddess. Congratulations, by the way. I knew Atem would get around to it." The voice rambled, causing Bali's eyes to widen and a grin to split on her face.

"Hutsat!"

"That's me. Don't ask how I've gotten here, but I know what's happening and I'm here to help."

"Naturally."

"Now, you need to get across the river, right?"

Bali nodded.

"Okay, there is a clan of hippos that will help you across. They are near where we first met, the reeds." Hutsat explained, and took flight with a push from Bali.

"Follow me!" He yelled, and Bit followed him, understanding Hutsat as well. It didn't take long to arrive at the den of hippos, and Bali jumped off of Bit while Hutsat landed on a nearby tree.

"Now, someone you know should be in here... When I met up with her she said she wanted to help you... Ah, there she is! Hey, little Abigail! Lady Bali is here!" Hutsat shouted, and a great many hippos rose out of the water, twitching their tiny ears every which way. But it was a smaller hippo that gathered itself on shore in front of Bali.

"Lady Bali, you are safe!" Abigail's voice cried from the creature, and Bali knelt to the ground to embrace the finally free little ex-slave.

"I'm so sorry about what happened to you!" Bali whispered, but Abigail pulled herself away.

"There is no need for that, I wanted to come here. All of the adults will help get you across the river, I promise!" Abigail chirped, and turned to her new family. A large, mean-looking female joined them on the shore.

"You are the queen of the humans?" She asked gruffly, eyes narrowed with suspicion at Bali. Bali glanced at Hutsat, who dipped his head to urge her on.

"I believe so, ma'am."

"Ha! There is no need for that! Climb to my back, and you shall return to right the waters! Your ground-runner will have to stay." the female snorted, getting into the water. Bali looked back at Bit with an apologetic expression, but Bit just shook out his mane.

"I will come whenever I am called." Was his simple reply, and Bali climbed atop the huge hippo. Abigail giggled as she followed Bali through the rushing waters of the Nile.

"The waters are acting unusual as of late. All creatures can sense the evil upon the land. I am only helping you because you have the power to stop it. That is what I feel."

"Me too." Bali answered quietly, too distracted by staring up at the troubled city looming ahead, the dark, lightening-filled clouds swirling faster the closer she came. A bright blue light shined from the palace, and Bali glared.

"That Anubis bastard must be the cause of that. This is going to be a fun fight." Bali muttered under her breath.

"Just don't get cocky, Bali." Hutsat warned with a laugh, and Bali smirked.

"Me? Overconfident? Never."

"Yeah, that's what I always thought."

* * *

><p>Atem spat blood from his mouth after taking a hit to his left side. He growled, breathing heavily and holding his wound. Blood leaked from between his fingers, staining his tunic and sending waves of blistering pain. Anubis sighed seemingly bored.<p>

"I _thought_ you would put up more of a fight, Pharaoh. I suppose I was sorely mistaken. No matter. I shall play with you a little while longer." Anubis insulted, returning to a guarded position while Atem struggled to stay standing.

"This is no game, you fiend! I cannot lose! My people are relying on me Anubis! Their hope rests with me!" Atem yelled back, catching his breath afterwards because of the pain.

"And with Bali," He added in his mind.

Anubis rolled his eyes.

"Yes yes, we know. Let's get going, shall we?"

* * *

><p>Resna walked the chaos, entranced with sorrow. His melancholy state was being produced by an overwhelming sense of guilt and sadness. All around him, the bodies of his people were mixed with Thebans, marring the once plain and peaceful streets into a nightmare reality. Still some cries of anguish and battle echoed throughout the realm, stirring the stillness. Resna did not stray from his path, slowly making his way towards the palace. Though Resna did not register the fact at first, the sound of a horse galloping added to the quiet cacophony. It came nearer... nearer, and nearer still... Until it stopped right beside him.<p>

"Hey, who are you and what are you doing here?" A woman barked, and in a flood of realization, Resna's emotions returned. As he faced the woman rider, he saw the Queen of Egypt herself.

"Your majesty, is that really you?" Resna asked, hope entering his voice. Bali slid off of her perch on Bit, Hutsat landing there in her place.

"Yes, now who are you?" Bali inquired once more, though she sensed that Resna was of no threat to her. Resna's eyes were soon downcast to his feet as he answered.

"I am the leader of the tribe that has attacked Thebes. I bear full responsibility for my actions, and am willing to take the consequences fully. If you should choose to punish me now, I would not resist, however; I cannot let the madman who so easily used me and my people rampage across the earth anymore. Please, my queen, take this," Resna started, and pulled out a dagger which Bali took without a word. The instant she took the blade she felt the ancient power built into it.

"This is the Dagger of Fate, a relic that has been passed down through the generations of my tribe's leaders. It was made to smite evil should it ever rise, and I believe that this is what it is meant for. The prophecy reads as such:

"The Eye that Sees what is yet to come,

its Vision shall be Fulfilled.

Unless Blinded by Events Predetermined,

Thus Light and Shadow both be Killed." Resna recited, and Bali watched as the blade glimmered, as if the prophecy was some sort of key.

"I am sorry that I am the one responsible for this. I was swindled by talk of having enough food for my tribe that I did not think. I hope you will use the Dagger of Fate to slay that demonic creature. There is but one last thing I must do before I let myself be punished by the gods. The dagger requires a sacrifice, and I shall offer my own life to save this kingdom." Resna stated, and Bali's eyes widened.

"Listen, you don't have to-"

"Please, my Queen," Resna pleaded with a sad smile. It silenced Bali to the core.

"Thank you." Bali muttered, and Resna crossed his arms over his chest with a bow, and his body glowed with a silver light. An orb withdrew from his body, and flew into the blade of the dagger. The blade shone even brighter, the magic fully released. Bali stared at it, and at the soulless shell that was Resna's body.

"Kitty, we've got to get a move on! We're close to the palace and I don't think we want to be late to the party!" Hutsat shouted, taking flight once more so Bali could mount Bit. Bali gave one last look towards Resna, before setting off towards the Palace.

Bali and Bit made excellent time, racing into the palace. Bali flew off of Bit and made her way to the armory, Hutsat yelling after her.

"Bali, what are you doing?" He asked incredulously, in a hurry to get to the roof. Bali rolled her eyes.

"You know, by becoming a bird you've lost that calm and cool self you once had. I'm getting a bow. You wouldn't think I would go up there without my best weapon, would you?" Bali retorted, grabbing one of the last bows. She also found a full quiver of arrows, much to her surprise.

"Okay, now we can go." Bali said, and raced along the familiar route to the roof. She leapt stairs, barged through doors and bounded over heaps of rubble, and when she emerged, no one noticed. Bali calmed herself and scanned the proceedings, Hutsat alighting on a broken pillar.

"Atem is inside the barrier." He informed, and Bali nodded, retrieving an arrow from her quiver. The bow and arrow transformed at her touch. Her clothing changed and her battle spirit roared to life.

"I'm back." She stated calmly, though she glared at the shining blue pyramid barrier. Everyone turned, the soldiers and Guardians, shock evident on their faces. Bali released her arrow, the arrow sounding off with a golden stream of energy and smashing into the barrier.

The final battle had begun.

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><p><strong>Yes, I made little Abigail into a hippo. Why? BECAUSE HIPPOS ARE FLIPPIN' AWESOME! Maybe my next FUN FACT! will be about hippos...<strong>

**Hutsat is back, I am happy to say! And given his animal form, he poses no threat to Atem and Bali's marriage. At all. The next chapter will be awesome because it will be a giant battle, it'll be chapter thirty, and I hope to get to 300 reviews. Pretty epic if you ask me!**

**So go ahead, review! If you're anonymous, don't be afraid! If you have something you want to point out, I will answer you in an author's note the next chapter, and you anonymity will be retained! I hope you enjoyed, and I can't wait for all of you to read the next chapter (once I write it, of course...)**


	30. Final Battle: Part One

**Hey everyone, back again! Due to finals, the musical, and the Fanfic login being kinda stunted, it has taken awhile for me to update! But I finally have it! Not to mention it was actually really hard to write. In fact, I'm almost afraid it's a little crappy, but I hope you can deal with that. I like it, anyways.**

**I have the faintest feeling that you'll all hate me at the end of this chapter, but remember that there is a reason that this is The Final Battle Part ONE! I determined that this whole shebang was too important to keep in one chapter, and splitting it in two would create my desired effect. Just keep reading, it'll be awesome, I promise! AND WE'RE ALMOST TO 300 REVIEWS! I have all of you to thank for that! :)**

**To Pokegirl360, an anonymous reviewer who has kept up with this story (I've never gotten to really message you my appreciation), I thank you for your input and the fact that you just keep simply egging me on to write.**

**To all my reviewers, seriously, give yourselves a round of applause or a pat on the back. You guys are the reason I write this. In fact, I read through my reviews for this story to further motivate me. I know I say it waaaaaay too many times, but thank you, all of you!**

**And now, for the FUN FACT!: Hippos! I said I would, and I am! The hippopotamus was indigenous to the Nile River, thus forcing the Egyptians to recognize them. Hippos are actually very hostile and destructive, and could easily kill off any human. In that aspect, the hippo was feared, but also worshiped. The goddess Tauret (who will make an appearance in this story!) is depicted as a pregnant hippo standing on her hind legs. She was the goddess of fertility and childbirth, as hippos were creatures of the Nile and were symbols of the Nile's life-giving necessity. Pregnant women often wore amulets so they would have a safe childbirth. Huh, and you wonder why she'll be making an appearance? Hippos are all-around super awesome, because they are powerful and were revered for it in Ancient Egypt! Bam, how about that for a FUN FACT?**

**And now, for the lovely emotional roller coaster that I will once more make you ride! Enjoy!**

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><p>Bali stepped forward, watching her arrow slip through the barrier and pierce through Anubis, knocking him back and sticking him to a semi-crumbled pillar. He struggled against it, but was pinned for the time being. Bali frowned as the barrier still held. Light shone through the stormy clouds, giving the people of Egypt around a glimpse of hope.<p>

"Bali, you've returned! Where have you been?" Isis chided, recovering from her surprise quickly to run to the queen. Bali smiled and took Isis' offered hands with gratitude.

"I had to go find myself, that's all. It's not every day that you find out you're the daughter of Ra." Bali answered smoothly, and Isis' eyes widened, along with the others' who had gathered around.

"You _are_ a daughter of Ra? We believed the gods sent you, but that you have become so powerful..." Seth blurted, and everyone turned to him with dirty looks, excluding Bali... wait, what?

"I can see you're as tactful as ever." Bali greeted sarcastically, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms.

"Never mind all of that, my Queen, the Pharaoh needs your help!" Shada snapped, refocusing the group.

"You are right, sorry. Step aside everyone. Atem and I will handle this." Bali stated, and started to push through the group towards the barrier. Towards Atem. Someone caught her arm.

"Your majesty, what about the baby?" Mahad inquired worriedly, and the group mumbled in anxiety as well. Bali smiled and pulled her arm away gently.

"It will be fine, I promise." Bali calmly replied, and turned towards the barrier once more. The guardians all nearly called out to warn her, but when Bali simply walked through with a snap of her fingers, they stood only gaping.

"Perhaps it was such a good thing that she was sent away." Karim chimed in, and the group set themselves to help whenever they were needed.

...

Atem watched Bali from afar, and spaced away from the world. Before he knew it, she was standing in front of him, caressing his face with her soft hands.

"Atem, I'm home." She said softly, and Atem stepped back in disbelief.

"Is that really you?" He asked quietly, the past events making him doubt what he saw. Bali put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes.

"Atem, if you really thought I was gone forever than you're sadly mistaken. Some loving husband you are." She snorted, though Atem didn't catch her amusement at first. His brow furrowed and his attitude returned.

"I'd say I'm very loving, seeing as-" He started indignantly, but Bali stretched out her hand and squeezed his cheeks (you know, thumb on one cheek, fingers on the other) to stop the oncoming rant.

"I'm only teasing, and yes," She interrupted, drawing in close to stare into his eyes. A grin spread on her face.

"It's really me." She finished, pushing her lips to his and releasing his face. Atem held Bali tightly to him, causing her to break away with slight breathless laughter.

"Okay, I get it, you missed me-"

"I thought I had lost you." Bali calmed herself and gave a genuine gentle smile.

"I thought I had lost _you_." She answered back, and Atem finally smiled.

"This is ridiculously disgusting!" Anubis snarled, eventually pulling out the arrow. Bali and Atem turned towards him. Atem was guarded, she was not.

"Oh, I forgot you were here. Sorry." Bali called over nonchalantly, only making Anubis angrier and Atem give her a strange look. Bali shrugged.

"What can I say? Although I have to admit; thanks to you, I've got a hell of a lot more power now. Prepare to get your ass kicked Anubis, because the second part of this dynamic duo has arrived." Bali warned, getting into a guarded position herself.

"You little witch! How did you escape that spell! You were supposed to die!" Anubis spat, moving forward and powering up with blue magic in his right fist. Bali noted that the focal point of his power was the Pyramid of Light around his neck.

"Oh, well excuse me. I think I've figured you out, old man. For the most part anyway." Bali muttered under her breath, quieting as Anubis charged.

"Atem, try to find an opening in this exchange and get him with my sword." Bali instructed quickly, leaving Atem abruptly in a charge of her own. Her fists glowed with her own golden aura, guarding close to her body in case Anubis tried anything dirty. Which, because he's evil, wasn't out of the question.

"I'm right behind you Bali!" Atem yelled his support, and dashed around as the two clashed. Atem nearly lost his focus watching the two, as the ferocity was something unprecedented.

...

Bali caught Anubis' fist with both of her hands, cancelling out both energies stored up with a burning sizzle. While Bali held his one fist however, Anubis swung with his left towards her face. Bali gasped and dipped quickly, letting go of his right and shoving herself backwards. She didn't land smoothly, but managed to stay on her feet.

"Damn, that could've gone better. Okay, new plan!" Bali yelped, leaping out of the way as Anubis jumped at her with an energized fist raised. Atem came up to stand next to her.

"I have a feeling that taking him down is going to need some serious strategy. It won't be easy." Atem stated, and Bali huffed, glaring in frustration.

"I know that! How about I try and fend him off and you come up with some brilliant plan then, genius!" Bali replied loudly, both of them parting ways as Anubis came around after getting his fist unstuck from the roof.

"Like trying to catch gnats in a desert wind." Anubis seethed, and Bali smirked despite the situation.

"Of course. Say, while we're at this stalemate, can I ask you a question?"

Anubis didn't respond, only stared on.

"Okay then. Your name is Anubis, correct?"

"Yes, you wench!"

"Hey now, be nice. And you're wrong. Your name is not Anubis. You only like to think it is. Oh, don't worry. I know why. We _actual_ gods know practically _everything_." Bali taunted, wagging a finger in his direction. Anubis straightened, making everyone mutter in confusion. He was calm again, and it was strange.

"If that is true, then why is it that I do not know why you disappeared?"

"Simple really: you're not a god. You're nowhere close." Bali answered and everyone who heard murmured between themselves. Atem returned to Bali's side with his own questioning look.

"Bali, how do you know this for sure?" Atem whispered to her, and she gave him a grin and told him to trust her. Atem smiled in return.

"Go right ahead."

"Okay Anubis, or rather, Anubis-wannabe! I know how you feel, having all sorts of brilliant magical powers and being able to flaunt everything. But you toed the line when you started calling yourself the Lord of the Dead and started killing people for the hell of it." Bali yelled, walking about during her analysis for everyone to hear. Anubis took the scrutiny with a murderous grin.

"And how does this prove me to be fraudulent? Your distraction is amusing, but is only that: a distraction. When I received the powers of Anubis, I knew that the god had chosen me as his earthly vessel. I am Anubis."

"No, you are not! If you were Anubis, you wouldn't be going on a bloody rampage! Anubis has no reason to do that, and even as the Lord of Death, he has an obligation to protect the good citizens of Egypt. The way he does this is by putting every soul on balance with Ma'at's feather, and if one is lighter, then that soul is free to go to the afterlife-"

"Yes, we all know this-" Anubis began to interrupt, but Bali just did it right back.

"I'm not finished! That is precisely what I am talking about! Anubis already has tons of work, he wouldn't go out killing everyone! He's probably steaming mad at you right now. In fact, I'm surprised he hasn't shown up here to take care of you himself! You see, mister wannabe, gods are meant to protect the people so they are worthy of praise, not squash them all like bugs because there's peacetime! As we all see now, you're no god; just some loser beginner in magic who happened to find a ritual for some power. I can tell you right now, that power does not come cheap. And if you want to see the real thing, I'm standing right in front of you." Bali argued, getting extremely heated and pointing her finger angrily at Anubis. Anubis didn't look all too happy either.

"So you're saying I'm not a god?"

"Did you not hear that speech?"

"Oh I heard it, but it is trivial. I am a god, and now it is time for you to die for your transgressions." Anubis glowered, and his form dazzled with sparks emanating from his pendant. Bali turned to Atem urgently.

"Stay out of the way, and take this," Bali started, and handed him the Dagger of Fate hurriedly.

"It will defeat him, but we have to wait until his power is weakened. I'll try to do that with my sword." Bali finished, and Atem quickly shoved the sword into her hands. Before they parted, Atem caught her lips in one last moment and pulled away slightly while gripping her arm.

"Be careful."

"You too." Bali replied, before Anubis began charging with what looked like a sword made out of energy. Bali sped forward as well, slipping the sheath into her leather belt at her left hip before drawing rapidly. The swords met and sparks flew everywhere.

Bali and Anubis were caught in a struggle and were trying to overpower one another. All looked on with bated breath, squeezing their hands and making the air tense.

"You've gotten some power, but it will do you no good!" Anubis growled to Bali and Bali reacted by pushing forward, catching him slightly off guard.

"You need to shut the hell up and learn to understand." Bali muttered fiercely back and mustered all of her strength to push him back. Energy flew from her sword and pierced through Anubis, making him howl in pain. Anubis fell to his knees, and looked up at Bali with a glare. Bali stood, her sword lowered, though she still waited for something dismal to happen.

"You are unfortunate, bitch." Anubis raggedly, and Bali furrowed her brows. All gasped with fright as Anubis leapt forward with astounding speed, his fist headed straight for Bali's abdomen.

"I KNOW YOUR WEAKNESS!" Anubis finished, and Bali was too surprised to react fast enough. But Anubis caught the glint in her eyes too late.

"CHING!" his fist bounced off her stomach, while a golden orb surrounded it. Outside the barrier, Mahad smiled slightly with a small sigh of relief and knowing.

"_That _is why she wasn't worried!" He exclaimed, and all looked to him in wonder.

"You put a force field around your unborn child?" Anubis snarled in disbelief. Bali put a hand over her abdomen.

"You don't think I'd be stupid enough to come here without doing that, do you? I think I have more power than you first anticipated." Bali replied, pulling her sword up for the next attack. Anubis summoned up his energy sword to match against her.

"I honestly think you don't have a chance, but your determination is somewhat admirable. A little ironic that I'm the one saying this, seeing as this is the stereotypical speech given by evil people." Bali commented, her last few words more of an afterthought. Anubis said nothing, only hesitating for a split second to gain control of his temper. He knew that doing something rash would be the end of him.

The two powerful forces kept fighting and fighting, neither one truly gaining the upper hand. The entire time, each was trying to find the other's weakness. Seeing as the battle raged on for a lengthy amount of time, one can assume that that was a so-far fruitless search.

"Rghaah!" Anubis sounded, swinging his sword horizontally, making Bali jump back frantically, as his last swing had caught her off balance. A cut opened up near her collar bone. Bali winced as everyone gasped in surprised.

"That stings." Bali mumbled.

"Bali, are you alright?" Atem yelled, and Bali nodded, but kept her eyes on Anubis. Speaking of, the sorcerer looked very frustrated.

"That was meant to make your head fly off your shoulders." He rasped, and Bali's eyebrows lifted slightly in mock-surprise.

"Really? Because that was kind of far off, in my opinion. Either I'm lucky or you have terrible aim. I prefer the latter option myself." Bali replied sarcastically. She heard mumbles of wonderment from around and even Anubis looked appalled. Bali looked down to her chest to see the cut slowly disappearing.

"That's interesting. Bet you wish you had this power too, huh? This magic makes me nearly invincible, but my good friend Hutsat said I shouldn't get too arrogant." Bali chided, despite a condescending tone that made her statement somewhat ironic. Atem ventured to Bali's side to mumble something to her about said ironic statement. Anubis paid no mind to the actual words, but gaped in realization. Bali brushed Atem aside when a truly nefarious grin stretched across Anubis' face.

"I'm sorry your majesty, but you _are_ too arrogant for your own good." He stated calmly standing straight and with his guard seemingly down. Bali didn't lower hers at all, and Atem moved to the side so he could resume what he was doing in the first place: trying to find a way to effectively use the Dagger of Fate. But it was what Anubis did next that made everyone curious and worried.

Anubis positioned his hands around the Pyramid of Light and released the barrier. Unfortunately before anyone could make use of this strange event, there was the return of an old friend: the burning shadow hands. There were gasps all about as the searing pain tore through everyone's skin, and Bali growled to herself for being careless. Though Bali believed that with her new-found power she could break from the hands. But Anubis apparently had already taken that into stride, as Bali was blown back with a huge burst of negative energy, an electric blue stream forcing her into the air. The energy paralyzed her well enough that she couldn't maneuver through the air, as she was headed for the edge of the roof. From then on, everything Bali looked upon went in slow motion.

Anubis turned to Atem, and gathered up the same amount of energy. Bali's eyes widened when she finally understood what was going on. Try as she might to gain control once more, she couldn't break free. Despite all that she had gone through, her power still wasn't enough.

Time froze when the energy hit Atem, knocking him back to land lifelessly on the floor. There were cries of horror and distraught terror, but Bali's scream for him was the loudest of all.

Anubis had done the unspeakable and unthinkable...

He killed Atem.

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><p><strong>Yeah, I went there. But like I said before, if you read the next part (and eventually, the whole entire story) you'll understand where I am going with this. Plus, Bali's going to be pissed off to a new extreme. I know I'm already pissed off (and I wrote it). <strong>

**As always, reviewing makes me happy. It will also make me write part two faster so we can all learn what I'm scheming. AND as an added bonus (or not), if we get over 300, I will make a 300 reference. You know, the movie? Spartans? "This is Sparta?" Ring any bells? I won't use that last quote because Sparta doesn't exist yet, but I'll use something else. Why? Because I'm feeling whimsical. Now review and tell me your thoughts, reactions and ideas! PLEASE!**


	31. Final Battle: Part Two!

**Heya, people! It's been real over here in my ninja fantasy land (wait, what?) and this chapter was a slow start for me to write at first... But then I exploded with inspiration. Aaaawww Yeeeaahh.**

**Right here is the section for people who reviewed but are anonymous. I shall answer them now.**

**Pokegirl360: :) 'nuff said.**

**Neko of Light: I know how you feel. Babies are just too important, aren't they? This chapter should make you feel better though.**

**anon: Yeah, I could have... But I'm lazy. The Akefia arc will be freakier. **

**Kaizer: I welcome you to the Bali boat! I understand completely about missing a story for so long. I'm still trying to catch up on a story I missed for a long time. I'm glad you like and I hope you keep reading! :)**

**And to REVIEWER 300: Yes, you were the 300 review. Congratulations, and thank you for the support.**

**Yes, my friends, we have made it this far. Chapter 31 will be the conclusion of this Anubis thing. I hope y'all will like it! The next few chapters will be cute and unoppressive. But watch out, a looming evil is ahead...**

**FUN FACT!: Anthropologists and archaeologists have concluded in a recent report that ancient Egyptians were vain. Are youf'ing kidding me? They believe in love, have a goddess of beauty, love to dance, eat,and party but they're the humblest of all humble people? Seriously, being vain is kind of obvious. Just sayin'. But now you know for sure. I don't remember what report it was though, so don't ask me...**

**Like I promised at the end of the last chapter, I have put in a "300" quote. In fact, you probably see it already. I do on my screen. **

**This story is for fun, not profit. Don't even start to think that I might own YGO!, 300 or anything else I don't own. You know I don't. Everyone knows I don't. It's about as obvious as the Egyptians being vain.**

**Ah, well. Read on and have fun!**

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><p>Even with all of her new-found power, Bali had failed. She wasn't able to protect him, and now he was gone. She let herself fly out of view, making no plans to catch herself from the long fall to the ground.<p>

Anubis laughed victoriously to the sky, as the dark cloud cover intensified while blocking out the light of hope Bali had given everyone. Many fell to their knees in disbelief and outright sadness, staring at the body of their fallen king.

"No one will dare challenge me again! Now, my new servants! There is no hope for you left! TONIGHT WE DINE IN HELL!" He barked about, having a merry old time with himself. The priests were helpless. Their power did not match up with his, and their strength was drained. But none of them dared utter a word of giving up.

"There has to be a way..." Seth thought, searching his brain rapidly with trying to find a possible solution. With the circumstances being what they are however, his mind was too frazzled to come up with anything. Lightning rained from the sky and landed in a ferocious ring around Anubis.

"Oh please, don't let this light be gone!" Isis prayed, and that prayer was whisked off with many others to the realm of the gods.

* * *

><p>Ra was alarmed at how strong the menace actually was. Bali's heart was broken to pieces and now had no way to recover. Every god stood in attendance in Ra's great hall, a huge room in which such important things were discussed. It was a rarity, and the last to appear was the god most scorned at the moment: Anubis.<p>

"I have just found the means to continue the work. The number of deaths have risen so suddenly, and it's been busy for so long..." Anubis started to explain casually, but he began to see that no one was amused.

"Anubis, do you have any idea as to why?" Horus asked angrily, and the room chattered along. Ra held up his hand for silence.

"Anubis, I understand that you placed a trial for your power in the human world, just as I have. However, your trial did not follow the strict guidelines outlined for us by the creators." Ra elaborated for the underworld god, who became quiet and anxious within the moment.

"I-I had no idea! I believed the trial to be completely valid! I've been so busy with all of the deaths lately that I haven't had time to notice!" Anubis argued, but he wouldn't get anywhere.

"Anubis, do you realize this sorcerer has taken your name as his own because he thinks he _is _you?"

"You forgot the cause and effect, moron!" The group swarmed with anger, but Ra silenced them once again with a wave of his hand.

"Anubis, my own daughter has so far failed in fighting this monstrosity. He has killed her lover and the Pharaoh, and you owe it to both of them to keep him in a state of limbo. She has the power to win. Now everyone, get back to whatever you were doing before. I will go talk to Bali." Ra ordered, and the group dispersed with flashes of light. Only Isis remained.

"Does she really have the power to succeed?" She asked skeptically, but Ra gave her a hard look.

"Don't underestimate what she can do. I can already feel her power growing. With one little push of rage she will burst into godhood like nothing we've ever seen."

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><p>Bali lay on the ground, broken not physically, but emotionally. Her eyes stared blankly into the stormy dark sky. Just as lifeless as the many bodies spread throughout the land. Just as...<p>

Nothing was left for her. What should she feel? Sadness? Anger? There was nothing to live for without him.

"Nothing..." She muttered, closing her eyes.

"Bali! Open your eyes now!" Ra ordered strongly. Bali's eyes remained closed.

"Go away. There's nothing left for me." She brushed off, but Ra persisted.

"There is everything left for you! Your kingdom, your friends, your child!" Ra listed, his voice echoing through Bali's mind. She finally opened her eyes.

"But what is there without him?" She asked, her voice wavering slightly.

"He lives in that child you carry! Protect it, and avenge Atem! You have the power."

"No, I don't!" Bali argued, but the ferocity of Ra's reply caught her off guard.

"Yes! You do! If you can get up from this emotional barrier, you will be able to save everyone!"

Bali stayed still and silent. The wind whisked sand about her as she clenched her fists. Slowly, she stood. While doing so, her aura began to glow about her. Shimmering gold made her brighten the space around her.

"HaaaaaaAAAAAGH!" Bali yelled, her energy flaring up unexpectedly. Her form stiffened as something began to take form from the massive amounts of energy she was throwing about.

It burst from her in a flash of power and a screech crying in joy. It was free at last. Bali had conquered the final obstacle to becoming a god.

Bali felt renewed and alive with fire and anger. She knew she had done it. But the beast before her was unlike anything she had ever seen.

"A Winged Dragon..." She muttered, but breathed deeply and began to command the creature. It was time for Anubis to meet in combat with an angry, real, full-fledged god.

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><p>Anubis had sensed the surge of power all the way at the palace. The bright column of light assured him that his senses were still true to him.<p>

"What is all of this?" He asked himself, stepping back. He had been in the middle of torturing the priests who still defied him.

Nothing prepared him for the actions of the next few moments.

Something as bright as the sun itself broke through and wiped out every cloud in the sky. His dark aura diminished greatly.

"You are done using this for evil!" An angry, powerful and commanding voice growled in his head, and the barks of a jackal could be heard as the presence left his mind.

"No, NO! You can't take them away!"

The winged dragon landed before him and proudly boasted its magnificent and mighty form. A woman jumped from its head, a passive look on her face. Anubis began to panic when he saw it was Queen Bali, now a goddess in every right.

Bali remained silent. She felt she would waste no words on him. He wasn't worth it.

Anubis was feeble now, his guardian god (or so he had thought) had taken away most of his power, and he was tired already from all of the magic he had used. The great beast that Bali commanded stood protectively behind her, glaring down at him with flaming red eyes. Anubis resorted to the only thing he could think of.

"Please, spare me!" He begged, dropping to his knees. Perhaps if he could catch her off guard. Bali's eyes narrowed however, and she turned away and began to walk towards where Atem's body laid untouched. He scooted after her, mumbling incoherent apologies. Anubis was soon stopped by another monster, this summoned by Priest Seth.

"You are scum. You will be treated as such." Seth whispered into his ear dangerously. Anubis had never been so fearful in his life. Everything had turned around so quickly. Everything had been perfect...

All watched as Bali knelt beside Atem. Her expression softened slightly, as she gently took a hod of the hand that still gripped the Dagger of Fate. Bali refrained still from saying a word.

Her former look returned as she stood and turned back to the captured Anubis. Without so much as a hiss, she walked up to him and stabbed him in the forehead, driving the dagger deep in his skull. Anubis screamed, his voice cutting off with his instant death. Bali removed the Pyramid of Light from his neck and threw it aside. Seth quietly commanded his creature to release the carcass. It crashed to the ground with a dull thud, blood pooling from the fresh wound.

The evil was gone, and though not everyone could see how much pain Bali was in, they rejoiced.

...

Bali went back to Atem, kneeling nest to him once more. Her god-beast crept its head over her shoulder, cooing softly in sadness. Bali's emotions finally passed onto her face, but tears didn't form. She caressed his cold cheek and leaned over him, searching.

The priests gathered around, though they kept a respectable distance. Isis wept openly while Mahad tried miserably to help comfort her. As they watched, a strange transformation began to enfold.

Bali's great beast began to turn into fire. They did what they could to keep from being alarmed.

Bali held her hands over Atem, her untapped power now pouring into him. His form began to glow.

"Like a Phoenix... Rise from the Ashes and Live AGAIN!" Bali chanted, and the great dragon-turned-phoenix roared with her. After that her energy died down, though she still retained much of her energy. Her beast returned to normal, choosing to peer over her shoulder once more. It whistled softly, twittering like a bird. Bali gently rubbed his beak to ease him.

"Please... Come back..." Bali wished aloud, her voice coming out with different tones as she was a goddess.

After a few moments of stillness and tense air, breath stuttered and color returned. Bali leaned in over him frantically, gripping his hand in both of hers. Her dragon leaned over her and looked as well.

"Bali...?" He rasped, coughing slightly as he lethargically opened his eyes. Bali gasped and leaned in closer.

"Atem?" She questioned, unsure if the moment before her was real. He opened his eyes fully and smiled, gripping her hand. Bali grinned and energetically wrapped her arms around him.

"You're alive!"

* * *

><p>Rebuilding Thebes was going to be a hefty task, and making every repair to the palace was at the forefront of most everyone's mind.<p>

Atem's strength didn't take long to return, much to everyone's delight. All was good and just again.

"Bali, what are we going to do about your creature? He can't just stand on the palace roof forever." Atem inquired, propping his head on his hand as he lay beside her. It had been a week since the incident, and Bali still had no idea what to do with her god-beast. She had learned to tone down the glowing aura about her so it wasn't as intense, but that was about it. Everyone could still tell she was an immortal.

"I know, I know. My father isn't responding at all when I try to contact him. He must be busy or something. I'll try something tomorrow okay?" Bali complained, tired of hearing about her beautiful buzzard.

"On that note, I did come up with a name for him." Bali switched, a smile forming on her lips. Atem's eyebrows raised.

"Oh really?"

"Yep. 'The Winged Dragon of Ra.' It sounds great, don't you think?" Bali enthusiastically proclaimed, but Atem snorted.

"He's your god-beast, why is he named for your father?"

"It doesn't sound right with my name for one, and two it glows like another sun. Not to mention that it was my father who planted it inside me to grow in the first place."

"Point taken. Well then, it sounds like a fitting name. If only we could figure out what to do with him..." Atem trailed off, and both lay there thinking about the current problem. A stroke of brilliance came Bali's way.

"I know! I can call him anytime I need him, because he's a part of me right?" Bali asked, beginning her proposition with a lead-on.

"Yes..."

"And you can summon creatures with your Dyat-Dyankh..."

"Yes..."

"Oh, don't you see?"

"...No..." Bali's excitement deflated.

"You're stupid."

"Hey!"

"Oh never mind, just listen. We can seal some of his power away so that you can call upon him whenever you feel the need. I'll always know when you call on him. He himself can spend his days up in a part of the heavens that was just made for him to dwell in." Bali explained, and Atem lowered his hand and slid forward in surprise.

"That's an excellent idea... If only I knew the other two names of the Egyptian god beasts... They would also come in handy. I have a feeling Anubis wasn't the last evil being we will encounter." Atem admitted, but Bali agreed.

"It's good to prepare for those things. Now, I have been busy learning some things. I found out that only two people knew the names of the god-beasts: Anubis and Resna. Resna was told by Anubis while Anubis was still planning his takeover."

"Do you also know that only the chosen Pharaoh may learn the names of these gods?" Atem questioned, sounding disappointed. Bali snorted in amusement.

"You're still stupid. You took on an enemy army when you weren't even pharaoh yet, you took on the giant responsibility of the Millennium Puzzle and became pharaoh at such a young age, and then you married me, a daughter of Ra, and now you just got brought back to life by me after fighting a powerful evil sorcerer. You sound pretty chosen to me." Bali laughed, her statement leaving Atem with a funny expression.

"Yes, but I still don't know what they names are..."

"That's because it is one of my duties to tell you. You already know one of the names, right?" Bali prodded slyly, and Atem was amazed.

"Then the other two names...?"

"The first is the embodiment of Geb's rage: Obelisk the Tormentor. The second is a dragon created to protect the afterlife: Slifer the Sky Dragon. And of course, my own and the most powerful of the three, the creature of fire and light: The Winged Dragon of Ra." Bali stated whispering to him with a tone of importance.

"We truly were made for one another, weren't we?"

"Now you're starting to talk intelligently." Bali giggled, and both snuggled together to drift to sleep.

They were safely together again, and no matter what they both vowed to each other never to let anything happen to each other ever again.

* * *

><p><strong>If you didn't see the Winged Dragon of Ra coming, then shame on you. I made it pretty obvious, right? (about as obvious as the Egypti- *SMACK!*... Never mind. You get the point.)<strong>

**Atem is back everything is cutesy and wonderful and the next few chapters are going to be pretty relaxed and funny and uneventful as far as fighting goes. However, it won't be too long until Akefia shows up. Look forward to it, I'm going to make him one nasty little mofo. Some of the things I'm going to use him for are going to be pretty dang evil. **

**Anyways, please keep reviewing everyone. You know the drill. It's not a hammer. It's a drill. And you know it. Meh. **

**Review! :)**


	32. Energy Expenditure

**I am a terrible person. I said I was going to get it out at Spring Break, but that didn't happen. Trust me, I've felt like crap for doing this to all of you.**

**Anyways! It's been one year since I came out with this story, and look at the journey! I know I have grown since writing this story, and I'm sure all of you have as well.**

**To Kaizer: That is exactly what I thought when she stabbed Anubis! I felt pretty awesome for putting in such an amazing scene.**

**FUN FACT!: To all who don't know already, Ramses II, or Ramses the Second, had red hair. Which was extremely unusual in Ancient Egypt. Go ahead and make all of the ginger comments you want on your own, but I won't. I have too many friends with red hair and I try not to offend. Why is there so much about Ramses the Great? Because he put himself everywhere. EVERYWHERE! He was an egomaniac who lived to be 67 years old, when the life expectancy rate was at 35 years old. The dude was one tough pharaoh, who outlived many of his children, including the twelve sons he made crown prince in his time. But most importantly, he outlived the love of his life, Nefertari, a woman he wrote poetry for. Yep. Pretty stellar guy right? Pharaohs had diplomatic marriages yes, but also had many out of love. **

**The Winged Dragon goes bye-bye for now. The chapter isn't super long, but it was something that ended right.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Bali and Atem woke up that next morning with a peaceful stretch after sleeping luxuriously late. Everything truly was perfect, from the way the sun showed itself into the room to the beautiful voices of the birds.<p>

"Good morning." Both greeted each other, each still facing each other. All was quiet and peaceful...

"SQUAWK!" Rang through the air, a distressed call of boredom from the rooftop. Atem began to laugh as Bali rolled her eyes grumpily.

"I know, I'll go take care of him. Honestly, he's such a precocious thing." Bali complained, ripping the sheet off and rolling off of the bed. As if on cue, Mery and Su rushed out to help her away to get dressed. Atem just sat silently with amusement.

...

"My King," A manservant greeted quietly with a bow, some time after Bali had left. Atem had already dressed but was taking breakfast in bed. Atem nodded so he could proceed.

"Queen Bali requests you at the roof. All of the Millennium Items are required for sealing the Winged Dragon away is what she has instructed me."

"I see. Is there anything else?" Atem asked patiently while he stood fully.

"As long as you are done with your meal, there is nothing else. The Queen made herself clear that you must hurry, sire." The servant clarified quietly, as he noticed the somewhat lethargical movements of his king.

"Ah. I musn't keep her waiting then. These days she'll have a fit if I don't listen." Atem mumbled, alluding to the behavior of women during pregnancy. He had been around pregnant women before and they could get pretty nasty.

Even though Atem hadn't excused the servant, he left on his own. Atem shrugged at the awkwardness of the situation and left his chambers with a spring in his step. If he had the ability to whistle, he had no doubt that he would be doing it right now. Up to the roof he went, passing the stonemasons still working on fixing the crumbled stairway. The air was light and free, until the Winged Dragon of Ra began giving its monstrous peal of boredom.

"Atem, would you hurry up? He's getting distressed and impatient!" Bali yelled over, Atem having just reached the top.

"Much like you." He muttered under his breath, but with Bali's new-found powers, she heard him clearly. Her eyes snapped to him in a fixed glare.

"What did you say?"

"Bali, focus please." Atem replied, trying to keep some semblance of his royal authority alive. All of the guardians were extremely entertained and a few (Isis being most noted) failed at hiding their small chuckles behind their hands.

"I know, sorry. Okay," Bali motioned with her hands to everyone, garnering their strict attention.

"What I'm going to do requires a lot of power, so don't be surprised if you all feel a little drained. I can't use every bit of my energy, after all. There are going to be safeguards for the Winged Dragon's use: There will be an incantation written in god-script. I have taught Atem this language because it is my duty as a deity. However, should someone learn this script, there is another rule that I have no control over. The person has to be chosen by the gods to wield them. If the Winged Dragon of Ra is summoned without all of these requirements met, he will remain in a useless form. The summoner, after that, would die. I don't suggest you try this because you're all important to me. I think you're all right in the head, but I still feel I should warn. Now let me get this show on the road!" Bali explained before jumping up to land on the head of her god-beast.

"All of you, focus you energy on me. I'll harness it myself and mix it with my own to get this big boy where he belongs!" Bali yelled down, and the holders of the Millennium Items did not hesitate to follow her orders. Soon, each Millennium Item glowed and streams of golden energy flowed towards Bali. Her aura brightened and the energy glittered betwixt her hands.

She began the summoning incantation, as it would also allow her to send him to the heavens.

"O Mighty Protector of Sun and Sky,

I Beg of Thee Please,

Hear My Cry

Transform Thyself from Orb of Light

and Bring Me Victory in this Fight!

I Beseech Thee

Grace Our Humble Game,

But First I Shall Call Out Thy Name!

WINGED DRAGON OF RA!" Bali cried, and slammed the ball of energy into the dragon's forehead. It gave an appreciative and mighty cry of its own before disappearing in a great flash of golden light.

The Guardians and Atem were slightly dazed, but when Bali landed on her feet, they gathered around her. Bali fell to one knee in exhaustion but had a huge grin on her face.

"Thanks everyone, that was excellent! Now we don't have that huge bother anymore. Poor fella was getting so bored I was afraid he might go on a rampage." Bali wheezed with a small laugh.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Seth asked skeptically with a small condescending smirk. Bali's expression turned sour as she turned to him.

"Shut up! You definitely couldn't have done it, and even if you could have, definitely not when carrying a child!" Bali snarled, not taking his teasing well at all. Everyone began to laugh openly while Bali crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue petulantly.

"That's enough everyone. We still have our own work to do out in the city. Everyone who needs help is to receive it." Atem reminded, ending the somewhat carefree moment. Despite the end of a lightened mood, it was not replaced with soberness, merely determination.

"Don't worry your highness; you've reminded us many times, along with the Queen." Isis pointed out as the group left Bali and Atem to get to work. Once they were out of eye and earshot, Atem slowly turned to Bali with a raised eyebrow.

"You've been reminding them as well?" He asked, his voice purposefully made so it was tantalizingly low and slow. Bali's smile garnered that effect and she narrowed her eyes slightly for more emphasization.

"I am Queen you know. I feel you shouldn't have to do all of the work around here."

"Yes, but sometimes it's okay to let me shoulder the burden. You're taking too much on yourself. You need to rest more." Atem replied, drawing Bali close and placing a hand on her abdomen.

"It's hard to transition." Bali said flatly, cutting through the mood and making atem close his eyes with a small laugh.

"I understand that. But that doesn't mean you need to exert yourself. Besides, after this morning, there's no way you're running around all day."

"But-"

He kissed her to cut her off and to get his point across.

"That's not really a request." He whispered, and ushered her to walk with him by snaking his arm around her waist and leading her to the roof exit.

"I hate it when you do that."

"I know."

* * *

><p>Bali was resting up and taking a nap, which was easier for her to do than she had first believed. Her dreams took her back to happy memories, from before all of the crazy nonsense with Anubis...<p>

_Lovely Lovely Dream Mode..._

Bali was sitting at the riverbank on a particularly hot day, dipping her toes in the cool water and entertaining Ameniphus with a reed.

"C'mon, you're smarter than that! What, can't compete with me, you furball?"Bali teased, getting increasingly involved with her kitten's play. And wouldn't you know it, Atem was watching from the entrance. You could say he was... entranced! **(buh-doom pssh!)**

It wasn't until At betrayed his master my yowling at his feet that Bali realized he was standing there.

"... How long have you been standing there?" She asked apprehensively. Atem laughed at her wide-eyed expression and walked over to sit down next to her.

"It's always captivating to watch a kitten play." Was his sly and simple answer. He decided that it was probably better to omit the fact that Bali was far more entertaining than the cat.

"Sure. So, what is my betrothed up to today?" Bali asked, leaning back on the small stair.

"I just had some questions about where you're from, that's all." He admitted cheekily, his old mischievous self back to say hello. He hadn't been out for awhile since he became pharaoh.

"Okay, as long as it's simply describing the land." Bali replied with suspicion. Atem jumped on the chance however, scooting a little closer.

"Are you from a desert like this?"

"No."

Atem scoots more, while Bali uncomfortably shifts herself away.

"Did you live in a forest?"

"I guess you could call it that."

More scooting...

"What is the forest like?"

"Well, there are animals everywhere, along with trees and all that. It's green and rainy."

More shuffling...

"Did you like it there?"

"I've been roving around the world for awhile and I don't have particularly fond memories of where I come from. Why do you keep scooting towards me?" Bali snapped, pushing him away slightly as she slid over more. To her dismay, she hit the wall and Atem's smirk widened.

"That's why." He answered. Bali looked away with a dark blush on her cheeks.

"You're so creepy sometimes..." She muttered in frustration. Atem placed his hand softly on her cheek and slowly turned her head to face him. After taking in her doe-eyed expression (something he personally had never seen), he pushed her flat against the wall and kissed her...

"...Bali! It's time to wake up! You need to eat, your majesty!" Su sounded through the dream. Bali groaned and refused, enjoying the dream too much.

"My Queen, it is not healthy to sleep the day through!" Mery scolded, and Bali began to slip away from the world of dreams. When she opened her eyes, Mery and Su were bent over her.

"You two are cruel. I was having a good dream of the good days."

"These are the good days now, and the only way to make them good is for you to be awake to enjoy them. Now lets go get some lunch." Mery replied swiftly, taking one of her arms while Su took the other and hauling Bali carefully to her feet.

"True enough. Has anything serious come up while I was asleep?"

"No, your highness. The rebuilding of Thebes and the palace is going smoothly. The Guardians are speculating that we may be done ahead of schedule." Su chirped, skipping alongside Bali with a giant grin on her face. Bali looked at her in confusion. She hadn't seen Su this happy since before the Syrian War. Mery caught her glance and smiled a little herself.

"She got a message from Jihan, telling her to move on three days ago. She and Mana went out to help while you were preoccupied and she found a new lover." Mery explained with a snort, while Bali nodded.

"That's not too terrible." She commented, giving Su an approving thumbs-up.

"Hutsat must have relayed that message before he flew off into the sunset like a drama queen." Bali thought in amusement. The spy-turned-bird had said he was going to continue looking out over Egypt by the borders.

"Besides," He had said.

"I can't stand seeing you and him all lovey-dovey like that." Hutsat finished before taking off quickly. Bali's eyes narrowed at the memory.

"We're not that bad. If he thinks we're super flirty with each other, he should have seen Dr. O'Connel sometimes. Geez." Bali grumbled in her mind, sighing outwardly.

She was still glad she had had that dream however. No matter how much it proved Hutsat right.

* * *

><p><strong>You can infer what happened in that memory of Bali's that she had a dream about. You can infer whatever you want. <strong>

**I had to make Su uber happy again. I hope no one minds. Bali's going out to meet the people in person next chapter! Yay! **

**Please review, there's a cool new button. You may also rage at me a little for taking too long to update, but please make it constructive! Thanks!**


	33. Gifts

**Wassup everyone? It's close to graduation day for me, which means awesomeness! I am ready to get out! My exciting news is that I won the John Philip Sousa Award in band. Only one person (senior in my school) each year gets one at each high school. It's very distinguished.**

**Kaizer: I'm glad it was a good fact, I always like it when people learn! Bali's mood swings will come out a little in this chapter. Oh, pregnant ladies!**

**Anywho, this chapter will feature some parenting skills. Lots of cute moments that make _me_ squeal every once in awhile.**

**FUN FACT!: The creator gods of Egypt are Father Geb of the earth and Mother Nut of the Sky. They are the parents of the gods and are as old and sacred as good ol' Mister Ra. You'll notice that I made Obelisk a manifestation of Geb's rage. Why? Because it sounded cooler that way.**

**Have fun with this chapter, I like it a lot! Plus, we'll gain a new character! :D**

* * *

><p>Bali was going out for her first official stroll among the people. Atem wanted to show her around the city and wanted everyone to see their queen up close and personal.<p>

Despite being a goddess, war hero, and what one would generally call fearless, Bali was terrified.

"Atem, I'm not a people-person. They won't like me." She stated as she stubbornly refused to walk, making Atem practically drag her around.

"They'll love you. They already love you."

"Yeah, 'figurehead' me. They know you out there because of your mischievous ways when you were a brat. I think they'll disapprove." Bali argued, digging her heels into the dirt even more. She had to hand it to Atem: he had gotten her quite far, almost to the palace gates, in fact.

"Yes, they know me. But because they know me, they also know that I'm actually very picky when it comes to women."

"In other words, you're a snob." Bali giggled suddenly, her mood swinging slightly as she took a few small steps. Atem got his hopes up despite the derogatory comment.

"If that's what you want to say, then that's fine by me. Just please go out there and show your people who you really are." Atem pleaded, taking her hands in his and looking deeply into her eyes. He put out his lower lip slightly for an advantage-seeking pout.

"I can't say no to that face. If you want me to try, I'll try. Besides, I know there's no bigger prick than Seth." Bali stated jovially, skipping forward a little. She stumbled however, due to her extra weight gain because of the baby. A bump had begun to show itself under the drapes of her light robe. Fortunately, she was still decent-looking to go out in public (it was normal for pregnant women to hide away for nine months: it was for decency above all else. The same goes for the menstrual cycle, but that's only for that week of course). Soon she would have to stay in the palace to keep healthy.

"I'm surprised you complied so easily." Atem admitted, holding Bali's hand as they strolled out the gates, guards following around at discreet but effective distances.

"Just because I'm overly hormonal doesn't mean I can't think rationally." Bali snorted, flipping her hair over her shoulder indignantly. Atem would have said something to the contrary but he had Bali in a good mood for once and didn't want to change it.

"You're right, I'm sorry for implying something like that."

"Aaw, don't worry! I know that you're trying to make me as comfortable as possible. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me you know." She giggled, slapping him on the back like he was an old drinking buddy. Atem didn't know whether to feel pleased with this or a little depressed. Her hand rejoined with his and Atem felt the warmth conveyed through it. He decided that her last actions were very affectionate and that he should indeed be pleased.

The outside world beyond the palace walls wasn't frequented by royalty, as was evident in the reactions of the people around. Many went straight to their knees in prayer and praise. To them, two gods had just graced them with their presence. Both stood watching, Bali with wide eyes. Her form was stiff and her heart thudded in her head. Her mouth had gone dry and her head was cleared of every intelligent thought. Silence reigned while Atem peered at her curiously.

"Just act natural Bali. Don't be afraid." He reassured, squeezing her hand. Bali took a deep breath through her nose to calm her nerves, simultaneously lowering the glow of her godly aura as much as possible. Ever since she had attained godhood, even some of her normal friends acted differently than before. Bali wanted the normalcy back with all her heart, and her glow seemed to respond to her wishes.

"I'm ready." She said firmly. Atem grinned and led her forward into the gawping crowds. One elderly couple who had bowed lowly onto the ground had difficulty even lifting their heads from that position, let alone getting back to their feet. Bali saw them from the corner of her eyes and her smile lessened as she threw her head over her shoulder to get a better look. She grabbed her hand from Atem's and calmly strode towards the couple. Both shivered as the crowd silenced and watched in interest. Bali knew that this would be a defining moment and would stick to everyone from that day onward. Atem watched from where he was, leaning back on one foot with his arms crossed.

Bali knealt down to one knee and gently graced the old man's shoulders with her hands. He gathered the strength to look up feebly. Bali smiled warmly, some of her aura pulsing amiably from it. Unbeknownst to Bali and everyone around her, her aura had a healing affect on the two. They still required help however, as Bali could see that they only lifted their heads.

"Please, let me help. It's the least I could do." Bali told them, taking hold of the old man's withered hands. Bali quickly turned her head and beckoned to her Pharaoh. He looked about unsure, before Bali gave him one of her steely looks and tilted her head towards the couple again. Atem gave up with a small unbelieving laugh under his breath and jogged to the trio.

"You may take care of her. Be careful, her back was strained." Bali warned, very carefully pulling the old man up so he could stand on his own. Atem did the same with the old woman and the royal couple sat back on their heels in satisfaction. The old couple looked about ready to fall to their knees once more to thank them for their kindness, but Atem spoke before they could.

"If it pains you so much to bow in such a way, you may not do so for us or any other noble. If they cause you trouble, we will know." Atem soothed, patting both their shoulders softly. The two smiled, and looked to each other, seemingly exchanging a thought. Before Bali and Atem could protest, they pulled two charms on leather straps from a seller's pouch.

"Please, Your Majesties. We would do so for anyone who treated us so fairly." They both confided. The old man pressed one of the necklaces into Atem's hands, and the old woman placed the second into Bali's.

"For your children. May they be blessed as you are." The old woman elaborated, pulling her hands away. Atem and Bali could only stand in awe of the charms in their hands. The one in Atem's hands was a sword, brilliantly shining and wonderfully crafted. The hilt was carefully made of lapis lazuli and the blade of silver, a rare component in jewelry. The crest of Amun and Ra was etched skillfully into a tiny pommel stone.

Bali's was a scarab itself, bearing a sun disk of gold while the scarab carved from an opal. The crest of Amun and Ra was also etched into the small disc. The soon-to-be parents conferred with each other show the charms.

"They're so gorgeous. Please, you must reconsider-" Bali argued softly, looking up to where the couple was. She straightened in wonder with Atem as the couple was nowhere to be seen.

"I may be a god, but I'm still not used to weird things like that." Bali admitted with a sigh. She had a feeling that because of the sudden disappearance, the old couple weren't actually human.

"I wouldn't expect you to be used to it. Let's continue on Bali. There's some people I would like you to meet that I meant to introduce you to awhile ago." Atem prodded, taking her hand once more and tugging her in a certain direction. Bali stumbled to keep up.

"Hey, watch it! I've got fragile cargo!" Bali snapped, and Atem just laughed. Bystanders watched and felt a strange new idea proposed by their behavior.

"Our royalty is..." A merchant in his stall whispered. His wife leaned over, inquiring.

"What did you say dear?"

"Our royalty is the best Egypt has ever seen." The merchant finished, awed by the down-to-earth qualities of the Pharaoh and his wife.

* * *

><p>"Bali, this is Guit. He's served in the army for years." Atem introduced, the soldier bowing respectfully. Bali nodded.<p>

"I saw him around the campsite back in Syria." Bali commented, but two shrieks of joy broke the air and two small figures ran under the soldier's legs in the doorway to pounce on Atem.

"Why have you waited so long to see us? You owe us honeyed treats!" One complained, pulling back and pointing an accusing finger. The other, a little girl, stood back as well and crossed her arms with a huff.

"Yeah, you owe us!" She added in, and Atem chuckled and squatted down to be eye level with them. Bali stood wide eyed and watching the scene with interest.

"I know, I'm sorry. Being Pharaoh is a tough job. But I brought the person I said I would bring." Atem assuaged, alluding to Bali. Both small faces turned slowly and began to analyze Bali. It was slightly uncomfortable under the children's gaze.

"This is Sethi and Mutnodjmet, Bali. They are two of my greatest friends outside the palace." Atem explained softly while the two parties had a stare down.

"So... she's Lady Bali? Your acquaintance?" Sethi asked for clarification.

"She's a bit more than that." Atem laughed.

"The Queen..." Mutnodjmet muttered in finality, summing up her thoughts about Bali.

"She _seems _to have the right air about her, but I don't know..." The two chorused, circling the two monarchs.

"Trust me you two, if I wasn't sure I could handle it, I wouldn't have agreed to marry him." Bali finally said, letting herself be involved in their shenanigans. The tension dissipated and the children challenged Bali to a game similar to marbles on the side of the house. Bali sat carefully against the wall and got full into it while Atem and Guit watched fondly over.

"You have excellent taste, Your Majesty." Guit said as Bali began to argue with Sethi about a marble that had gone astray. Atem let a crooked smile capture his face at the scene.

"Yes, I suppose I do. I'm glad she has their approval." He replied, shifting from one foot to the other.

"She will be an excellent mother, I can already tell." Guit stated, and Atem glanced at him in surprise. He looked back to the trio and peered closely at what was happening. Bali was losing, but it was obviously on purpose. She settled a squabble between the children with the utmost of grace and civility and Atem realized that Guit was correct.

"You yourself are going to be a wonderful father, as your father was to you. Keep her safe, Your Majesty. And for their sake," He said, alluding to Bali and his child. "Take care of yourself as well. A child with no memory of his father and a mother caught up in her own memories is a sight I see too often. Don't let it happen to you." Guit advised, the man squeezing his arms with regret. His bulky and scarred arms were living proof of the battles he had survived. A soft wind blew between the two men as silence reared the conversation.

Suddenly, a small cry for help pierced through that silence, making Bali's head snap up and Atem rush over to help her up.

"That was the sound of a little girl. I know it!" Bali whispered to him hurriedly, looking over his shoulders and all around for the child. Another shriek pushed her into action. Bali turned and ran, holding her belly to keep herself steady.

"Bali wait!" Atem bellowed after, but Guit rested his hand on her shoulder.

"We must follow her, not call her back. Let's go." The soldier urged, and Guit directed his son and his friend to stay inside. The children decided wisely to heed his words quickly. Atem and Guit ran after Bali immediately, able to go much faster than she because they weren't pregnant.

"Where did she go?" Atem growled, frantically searching down alleyways as he passed by them.

With his hurrying, he nearly went right past the alleyway she was in. Atem scooted to a stop and turned, Guit on his heels as they ran down the narrow street.

"She is your daughter, not a rag doll, you pathetic excuse for a man!" Bali screeched, and Atem approached his furiously glaring wife carefully. The scene was of a man and a girl who had his features; this girl was no more than ten years old. Bruises, cuts and scratches lined her body as she lay on the ground looking hopefully up through her dirty hair to gaze at Bali. Her father spat on the ground.

"What do I care, she's useless! She's my property! This is why nobles are hated; they stick their noses into private matters." The man cursed, and made to kick the poor child, not realizing that he was addressing the queen and her husband.

"Stop now!" Atem ordered, his voice ferocious with anger. He had gathered the situation quickly. Simultaneously, a hazy golden light surrounded the man, paralyzing him while Bali just stood with a vehement expression. The man finally realized who he was dealing with.

"M-my King... Your Majesties, I-" The man fumbled for words, but Atem walked near him, Guit following to take hold of the abusive father.

"You're done." Atem muttered in the man's ear while his voice held darkness and violence while being deathly quiet. The paralyzing effect from Bali's magic ceased and the man fainted, eyes rolling back into his head. Guit hauled the comatose figure onto his shoulder with ease.

"I will take him to Lord Seth." The soldier said simply, and trundled off with his load. The air remained serious until he was gone from sight. Bali sighed, releasing her tense anger and looking exhausted. Atem braced her against him gently so she could rest.

"I'm okay." She whispered lightly. Atem kissed her forehead and turned his mouth to her ear.

"I know." He mumbled, and Bali regained her footing to kneel down next to the little girl.

"What's your name, sweetie?" Bali cooed, softly sweeping the child's hair out of her face.

"Nefertari." Came the simple reply. Her voice was strong and unafraid. Atem knelt.

"That's a nice name." He replied kindly. Nefertari sat up and crossed her legs in front of her. Her giant brown eyes flicked from Bali to Atem.

"You're really the Pharaoh and his Head Wife?" Nefertari asked in awe. Bali rolled her eyes.

"I'm his _only _wife."

Nefertari giggled and sat back on the palms of her hands.

"What exactly am I going to do now? My daddy is gone." She inquired, breaking from the eye lock to shamefully stare at her feet.

"Where's your mum?" Bali asked. Nefertari's expression grew gloomier and she didn't say a word.

"I see. How about you come to the Palace with us?" Atem suggested, and both Bali and Nefertari snapped their heads to him in surprise.

"Can you_ do_ that?" Both chimed in unison. Atem jabbed a thumb at himself and leaned back with a smug look.

"Pharaoh." He drawled, earning an eye roll from Bali as she wondered why she married him and an excited squeal from Nefertari.

"Memnet can take care of her." Atem stated, before Bali got the chance to ask. Bali closed her mouth and lifted an eyebrow.

"You seem to have everything sorted, don't you?"

"It's a good thing to have when you're the ruler of a vast empire."

"I don't appreciate your ego-tripping."

"I appreciate it."

"You don't matter." The two argued playfully, though they stopped to look at Nefertari who was giggling at their antics.

"You are really funny. I never thought that the King and Queen could be like this." Nefertari pointed out, stifling her giggles so she could talk. Both monarchs blushed slightly and looked away in embarrassment.

Secretly though, both were glad that they were so entertaining.

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><p><strong>I couldn't resist naming her Nefertari (you should notice that name from the last FUN FACT! about Ramses the Great). I like that name very much. Nefertari will be around and has been brought under the Palace's wing. And Memnet will make an appearance next chapter! Hooray!<strong>

**A couple more cutesy chapters will ensue but some details of the next and final climax of the story will be mixed in. Ever so slightly. **

**Review, if you please. :)**


	34. The Epic Chapter Because it's by Bali

**Hey guys, this is Airheadninj- aAAUGH YOWZAS! *faint* **

**Hello everyone. This is Bali. You know, the heroine of this story? I'm getting my revenge for all of the crap that Airheadninja has put me through. I can't believe she's this much of a wimp. Fainting after only one punch to the face, how disgraceful. How did she ever come up with such a smart, beautiful, courageous, and strong woman such as me? Anyways, I've taken over this chapter. It's time everyone sees what I have to say and think! **

**To be nice, I'll even give you one of those stupid FUN FACTS! she does: She has a slip of paper here that says "Did you know that hieroglyphics were read depending on which way the symbols face?" Duh, of course I know that. I live there you dim-bulb. If you don't know this then shame on you! ... Wait, you're not all versed in this stuff? Huh, no wonder everyone's smarter in Ancient times... **

**This idiot girl Airheadninja doesn't own anything that has to do with whatever Yu-Gi-Oh! is. Seriously, what does that even mean? Is it Chinese or something?**

**You'd better enjoy this chapter because I made time to come out from where I was to write it!**

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><p>One of the nice things about being pregnant is that I can sleep late and no one will think oddly about it. Not to mention the fact that no one really goes against my wishes. They wouldn't anyway, but they make sure to be extra careful.<p>

But sometimes I feel that the bad things outweigh the good.

The morning sickness, the stress, the weird cravings, the awkward feelings and all of that are really getting to me. I know that I'll be glad when this is over, but still… Blech.

I'm still so happy though. I've never been so happy with being so miserable in all my life.

It's all worth it because I know that I'm going to have a right and proper family.

"My Queen, it's time for your normal check-up. Master Mahad and Master Miknodhma are waiting in the infirmary." Mery informed, taking my arm so she could help me sit up. I'm six months along already. I'm nineteen now (though no one but Atem actually knows that) and everything has been going smoothly so far. All of those battles months earlier had no negative effect on the baby.

Unfortunately, now I have to stay out of court and basically rest in my rooms for the next few months. Atem's too busy to keep me company during the day. At night however, he gives me the gist of the day and comforts me as much as he can. He's better than many other husbands from my world that I can think of (Rick excluded, of course).

Nefertari came up to me with a soft smile to help Mery and I to the check-up. Su was out and about on her free day with her brandy-new husband. Now that Nefertari was properly trained, I had asked Memnet to let her work with Mery and Su. That way one could go on break every now and again. I only really need two maids at my beck and call at any given moment. Nefertari had a small amount of magic, though she refused to properly train to be a battle mage. She preferred to use her small amount of magework for healing and minor spells. One of the spells she had come up with relieved the pain in my feet. I thank myself everyday for saving her way back then.

"Milady, would you like me to get you some water while you're inspected?" Nefertari asked as we turned into the infirmary. I had a private room to the side and I could hear Mahad and Miknodhma talking quietly.

"You know how I like it."

"With two pickled plums, yes ma'am!" Nefertari chirped and rushed off to fetch the order. Normally I would be completely repulsed by the thought of pickled plums in my water, but it always sounded (and tasted) delicious nowadays.

"Queen Bali," Mahad started, both men bowing as I entered the room.

"Are you ready? This will be quick, I promise." Mahad stated with a genuine smile. I smiled and nodded. Mery helped me get laid down on the cot. Both sorcerers began. After a few moments, there was a collective gasp from both of them.

"How did we not catch this before?" Mahad mumbled, confusion etching his face. I stared up at them worriedly.

"It isn't bad, is it?" I asked, hiding my worry to sound merely curious.

"Well..." Mahad trailed off and glanced at his father. Miknodhma nodded.

"I have a feeling that this is going to be a giant surprise." I thought sarcastically, listening as Mahad fumbled with his words.

**I had no idea.**

...

"I don't care what's happening right now, you'd better get my Pharaoh in here." I ordered sternly. It's not often that I request his presence in the middle of a workday, but everyone in this room understands why it's so important for him to be with me right now.

"I'll go get him myself." Mahad said hurriedly and ran out of the room. I supped my pickled plum water to keep my nerves down. It wasn't anything bad, but I truly wasn't expecting anything like this. Miknodhma waited outside the door to give me privacy, even though Nefertari and Mery were still beside me. They were all smiles.

"Oh, my Queen, this is such wonderful news!" Mery cheered softly.

"Yes milady! The palace will be so much more lively!" Nefertari added, and she began to snicker when I frowned.

"_You _don't have to give birth, Nefertari." I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest.

The next few minutes were quiet, but footsteps, yells and worried conversation made their way to my ears. It sounded like the cavalry had come along with Atem. Joy.

The six priests that held the Millennium Items followed Atem in, along with Shimon, Seshat, and Miknodhma. To my surprise, even Seth looked worried. How wonderful for me!

"Bali, what's wrong? You're not in trouble are you? And the baby-"

"Babies." I corrected swiftly. Knowing him, he'll probably miss it and continue on.

"Right, babies, there's noth...ing wrong... what?" He questioned, and I had to laugh at his adorable expression that I loved so much.

"Babies. There's two in there." I pointed to my large stomach.

"You mean..."

"We're having twins, dimwit." I said flatly. I'm more impatient than usual, sue me.

"Your majesty, are you displeased?" Isis asked with a hidden laugh after Atem was silent for a few moments, just gazing at my stomach. I couldn't even read his expression, and usually he's an open book to me. He looked up with a bright smile.

"I'm delighted! This is excellent news! Tell everyone!" Atem cheered, and although it wouldn't have taken all of them, every other person left the room so Atem and I could be alone. I'm glad I'm sitting up for this because the embrace I received was so warm I thought I would melt. I don't know how Atem has that power, but it might have to do with the fact that we're meant for each other. Not that I like to brag...

"Have you ever been so happy?" I joked quietly. He kissed me and drew back.

"No. Have you?" He shot back with a smirk and I sighed.

"No." I admitted and I was wrapped in another hug.

"So... What are we going to name them?" Atem asked for the umpteenth time. I swear, he asks it almost every time he sees me. I scowled and shoved his arm lightly.

"Hey, we're closer to due date now, it's time to start seriously thinking! Not to mention we have to think of two other names now." Atem defended, taking my hands before I could hit him.

"Two?"

"Boy or girl."

"Okay... You seem to have put thought into it. What do you suggest?" I asked blandly, quirking an eyebrow. Honestly, you'd think he was a schoolboy getting a new puppy, not a grown man about to have children with his gorgeous wife.

"As you probably know, they have to have their god-names, and their given names," Atem started and I sat back a little. It was going to take a big discussion.

"I have decided their god-given names, as is my duty as their father."

"Atem, I never really noticed before but the name we call you is your given name isn't it?"

"Yes. My mother gave me my name, and it is derived from my god-name my father gave me."

"Which is...?"

"Atemu-Wosretakins."

"How fascinating. And I mean that." I told him with admiration. He smiled proudly.

"I don't use it often. My mother's name is easier to use. I've contracted spells by that name so my god-name will come in use mostly in the afterlife." Atem informed. He tweaked my nose playfully.

"You got me off-track, my sly queen. Did you want to hear the two names I chose or not?"

"I thought you would have four names for our two children who have yet to get an identified gender." I pointed out but he tweaked my nose.

"These are the names I prepared for the one child I thought we were having before. If it's a boy, his name shall be 'Akheoerkare.' A girl, and she's 'Sitre-Meramun.'"

"Wow, you really did put a lot of thought into this." Atem looked hurt at my statement.

"Why, I've taken this very seriously! You can't say you haven't been thinking about it too! What names were you going to give our child had it only been one?" He prodded, settling a hand on my lump.

"I don't understand how you read me so well." I grumbled. He grinned mischievously and kissed my cheek.

"I thought about one of the charms we were given months ago. One charm I couldn't get out of my head and so I decided to call our child Sefu, if it was a boy."

"I see. What about a girl?"

"I thought about everything that has happened to us- to me- in this last year I've been here. I want to name my daughter for the very thing that saved me. Femi would be her name." I explained, gripping Atem's hands to convey my sincerity.

"They're both perfect and beautiful. I have to get back to court now Bali." Atem said, disappointed that he couldn't spend more time with me. I admit, I'm disappointed as well. I sucked it up and smiled.

"Your day is almost done, my King." I said reverently. I swished my hand out and mock-bowed as flippantly as I could. He caught my satire immediately and chuckled.

"You're right. Actually, I may have only an hour left." Atem said, walking out the closed room to see the position of the sun. Speaking of the sun, guess who decided to give a crap now?"

"Daughter! How are you doing today, kitten?" Ra greeted cheerfully. He may be my father, but I'm still gonna call him his name even if he's not gonna call me by mine.

"So thankful that you decided to wait five months to talk to me again!" I snarled back in my mind.

"I'm going now! I love you." Atem interrupted, grasping my shoulders, kissing me swiftly and running off to finish his day.

"Well! I was busy doing my duties, making the realm stable again and dealing with your god-beast. He's extremely tenacious, you know. Not easy to handle. Much like someone I know." Ra sniffed, appearing in my mind in a simple white kilt and jewelry. I grimaced physically.

"Not feeling the shirt today, dad?" I asked. Ra isn't fat. He just hasn't done something like this before. I hope he didn't come here to preen because he came to the wrong person.

"Hmph. I'm always confident in myself, I just wanted something different today. I'm sorry I wasn't able to contact you. I truly am, kitten. I was busy stabilizing the heavens before Anubis got drop-kicked by the rest of our godly community." Ra explained, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"I'm assuming you don't have much time, seeing as you're not as relaxed as usual. Is there something important you needed?" I asked. There's no point in trying to make small talk with a man who's practically on the run already.

"You received Geb and Nut's gifts, yes?"

"I believe so," I answered, thinking back to the two amulets I kept safe in a wooden box on a wooden shelf in my rooms.

"My gifts shall be given now. For one, I approve of their god-names."

"But we only have two-"

"And those two shall be one boy and one girl." Ra interrupted with a grin. I sat back surprised. Ra continued.

"And I also give them a magical gift. The power of the gods flows through their veins. The boy, Akheoerkare, shall be blessed with the throne of Egypt. He will rule with a powerful magic that will banish evil from the empire. And for the girl, Sitre-Meramun; she shall be most powerful in healing magics. She will save the realm's people all of her life." Ra announced seriously. I felt that it would be more prestigious if he made this announcement for Atem as well, and not in my mind.

"Thank you dad, but I don't want to know what will happen to them. Destiny can change according to what they do. I want them to lead the lives they want. Just like I have." I stated and Ra gasped slightly in surprise. But he smiled warmly afterwards and closed his eyes while he inclined his head.

"You are right, my daughter. However, I must warn you; their birth will be a 'Crossroads in Time.' It is an event in which the gods cannot interfere and is completely determined by those on earth. I do not know whether this crossroads is good or bad. But you should forge your own path along with your family no matter what. Be careful Bali. You are my precious daughter." Ra warned before flashing brightly in my mind and disappearing. I sat thinking hard on what he had just informed me of.

"A Crossroads in Time? I guess it makes sense. These two are very special, after all. But I'm not going to tell Atem. It's a god thing that he doesn't need to know about." I analyzed, stroking my chin while pondering.

"Milady, are you ready to go back to your chambers?" Nefertari squealed, busting into the room like she was me. Y'know, the Queen.

"How about a walk around the garden? You know the one I'm talking about."

"Yes ma'am, the one where Pharaoh first saw you!" Nefertari exclaimed slyly. She yelped when I pinched her ear sternly.

"I've never liked being teased. You're lucky I like you." I drawled, trying to sound as much as my stuffy old teachers from boarding school as I could.

"You're lucky I like _you_." She shot back with a snarky point of the finger. I gave her a dangerously mock-villainous smile.

"Is that a challenge?" I inquired in a low voice. Nefertari paled and swallowed slowly. She shook her head.

"The garden, right? Let's go!"

"Yeah, that's what I thought. C'mon Nefertari. You don't wanna get in trouble now, do you?"

"No ma'am!" She called in finality, winking at me because she finally understood my joke. We both laughed and made our way to the garden where I first saw Atem.

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><p><strong>This was so much better than that third person crap Airheadninja has been writing for the last thirty-three chapters! Now if you'll excuse me, I have other more important matters to attend to. <strong>

***eyes open* Geez, what a cracknob, hitting me in the face! See if I give you a happy ending! **

**Well folks, sorry that Bali took over the chapter there. I won't erase it though and just post it because I don't want to feel her wrath. You guys should also probably review. She's kinda vain and I don't want to get hurt. I don't want anyone else to get hurt either because no one stroked her ego. **

**^_^ Hope y'all like it! And please review!**


	35. A Threat for Nefertari

**A brandy spankin' new chapter from Airheadninja's brandy spankin' new computer! Hey everyone, it's been getting real over on my side of the internet as I get ready to attend college! This indeed is from my new laptop computer named Melvin. Hugs anyone? ~_^**

**I hope the last chapter was pretty awesome. The people who reviewed seemed to find it enjoyable. Bali appreciates all of the praise. My jaw is okay, by the way. Despite the fact that her punch knocked me out for awhile it really wasn't that bad. A little ice and viola! I'm good as new.**

**I don't own YGO! or anything that obviously doesn't belong to me. Bali belongs to me. Kinda awkward when your own character can beat the ever loving crap out of you at any given moment but I can deal.**

**FUN FACT!: I'm sure that a lot of you have no freaking clue as to what all of the names from the last chapter mean. I have decided to explain in this FUN FACT! Atem's god-name, 'Atemu-Wosretakins,' means 'Great god of Annu is protected and brave.' 'Atem basically means 'great god of Annu.' As for the chitlins, 'Sefu' means 'sword,' while the boy's god-name is 'Akheoerkare' meaning 'Great is the Soul of Ra/Re.' The little girl's name is 'Femi,' meaning 'love,' while her god-name, 'Sitre-Meramun' means 'Daughter of Ra/Re, Beloved of Amun.' I spent a lot of time choosing names out with the help of the internet. I actually made Atem's god-name up all by myself! I hope this was informitive and wonderful for all of you!**

**Kaizer: Yes, she has that power. It's terrifying, but that's what I get for making a character so cool.**

**To Random Guest: I can't wait for the twins either. I already have the rest of this story mapped out in my mind. Hopefully it will pan out like I think it will.**

**With that, I hope you enjoy this exciting new chapter!**

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><p>Bali was getting a foot massage from Nefertari once again. The servant girl had no problem with doing it. In fact, the pharaoh himself had pulled her aside one day and told her that he too was extremely grateful for her special services. Nefertari couldn't imagine why.<p>

But then again, Nefertari was young and simple. She didn't see the bad side of the woman who had saved her.

Atem did.

Even though they had countless servants and slaves at their beck and call, Bali sometimes refused to have them serve her and instead made Atem run the errands. Although some priests of Amun had scolded him in an attempt to strut their own power, Atem couldn't help but carry out her wishes. It was the same explanation every time:

"I may be the god-on-earth, but so is she. And right now, she's far more destructive than anything Egypt has faced yet." He joked. But it was true. Bali could release the terrifying power of her god-beast and refuse to call it off. Atem knew; she had threatened to do so before.

But Atem stuck it through, loving Bali more and more each day. It was the yelling at him angrily to sobbing apologies that kept him hopping, the tender whispers between them at night when they could finally talk, and the excitement for his new family that helped him survive.

Nefertari, being the watchful servant of the queen, noted that her pharaoh went out of his way to do everything for her.

The little girl was out on her time off and strolling the palace. It was pleasantly cool, as Ra had led the sun away to the underworld once more.

"Perhaps I should go and get the Queen something from the market. Surely Mutnodjmet and Sethi have their gifts ready by now." Nefertari mumbled giddily to herself. She gripped her wallet with the amount of money she had saved up from her allowance as a servant. Not many knew of it but the Queen often gave extra money to her personal maids for when they went out to market and found something interesting. Bali's maids were tasked with giving Bali anything that might spark her imagination, seeing as Bali couldn't go out herself and her maids knew her the best (Atem, Isis, Mahad and Seth being the notable exceptions).

Nefertari waved to the guards with a friendly smile and made her way outside the palace gates. The nightmarket was beginning to open up, with giant couldrons of oil being lit to illuminate the streets, joining torches kept lit by charms and spells from minor magic workers. Nefertari swerved away from that portion of the city and went to the house of Guit instead, to see if Sethi's gift was ready.

"Excuse me!" Nefertari called politely, knocking on the door. Guit answered the door almost instantly and his face broke into a smile when he saw it was Nefertari.

"Ah, Miss Nefertari! Does Queen Bali have a reason for you to be here?"

"No, I am here of my own volition. I did come to see if Sethi's present was ready."

"I figured as much. It may not be much, but the queen left a great impression on my boy. He tried his hardest to make them as beautifully as possible. I shall get them quickly, for I can see that you still have to go to receive Mutnodjmet's gift for the queen and her children." Guit explained, and left Nefertari at the door to walk a few paces into his home. He came back with a small hand made quiver, fit for a child learning the ways of the bow. There were lovely carvings and charms cut into the woodwork. Sethi obviously had help from his father. The quiver was filled with arrows fletched with a hawk's leftover feathers. With those type of feathers, the arrows and archer would be blessed by Horus to shoot straight and true.

The bow was also child-sized and carved out of dark wood. A small leather pouch held well-oiled bowstrings. The bow also had small charms cut into it to help the bearer aim true and for the bow to remain sturdy far longer than a bow without the charms. It was a wonderful gift.

"This is amazing! I'm sure my queen will be pleased with such a marvelous gift. I'm sorry if it seems rude, but I must get the other gift and return to the palace." Nefertari exclaimed with a cheer. She bowed her head slightly and Guit waved her off.

"No wonder it took so many months for Sethi to prepare." Nefertari whispered to herself, in a genuinely good mood. Although people stared as a little girl passed by with a bow and quiver in her possession, they didn't question because there was a cartouche sewn into her dress that was Atem's royal seal. If anyone made trouble with whatever errand she was running, they could get in trouble with the highest power in the land.

Nefertari made her way to an upper district of Thebes, where the richer merchants lived. Mutnodjmet's father was an important merchant and fairly wealthy for not having noble status. She passed the servants of his house and went up the the path leading to their door. The guard in front of the door stopped her.

"Might I ask why a servant of the royals has come here?" He asked suspiciously, eyeing the bow. Nefertari wilted under his gaze.

"I am here for something from Lady Mutnodjmet to the queen."

"Is that so?" He responded slowly, obviously not believing what he heard.

"Damas, stand down! It's Nefertari, a maid that serves the queen. She's been here before." A sharp female voice ordered and the guard heeded it immediately. Nefertari still felt shy under the strong gaze of Lady Layla, Mutnodjmet's mother.

"Come in and sit. I must share some chilled juice with such a friend of my little girl." Layla said kindly, a grin finally spreading throughout her face. Nefertari bowed with a shy smile.

"Thank you ma'am."

The two walked into the home and to a wide, low table where both sat comfortably on cushions while a couple of house servants brought juice and candied fruits. Nefertari ate only because she wanted to be polite, not because she had any particular appetite. She had eaten before she had left the palace.

"Mutnodjmet had the worst of times thinking of something to give to the queen," Layla said suddenly, staring off while resting her chin on her hand propped up on the table. Nefertari looked admiringly at the still-youthful woman before her.

"She tried to keep it secret, but her foul mood matches mine. We could tell there was something plaguing her mind. When we finally got her to tell us what, we couldn't believe our ears! Her idea was almost outrageous, but since it was for the queen... My husband and I went through the greatest pains and saved up money to afford it, but have managed well since the peacetime pharaoh has brought to Egypt and Syria. This," Layla gingerly held out her other hand for Nefertari to see the object.

It was a beautiful glass hair charm, meant to be clipped at the end of a braid. Nefertari squeaked at the sight of it. Never had she handled glass before.

"How did you find someone to make it?" Nefertari asked while Layla carefully placed the charm inside of a padded wooden box and sealed the lid.

"We had to search through all of my husband's merchant connections but we finally found a man who could do what we asked for the money we offered. In all honesty, we were lucky." Layla answered and scooted the box to Nefertari. She gingerly took in and placed it in her lap.

"You're so generous! Glass is so rare-" Nefertari started but Layla held up her hand, silencing the maid.

"We are grateful for what the pharaoh and his queen have achieved together. The pharaoh has always been one of my daughter's greatest friends. Please, tell Queen Bali that my family prays for a healthy birth." Layla relayed, and Nefertari as she stood to leave. A servant appeared with a traveling bag for her to place all of the gifts safely.

"Thank you for your hospitality!" Nefertari said with a bow, and left while making sure the bag didn't bounce around too much. Glassware was supposed to be extremely fragile.

"Now I have to find my own gift! Hopefully the craftsman I contacted is already done." Nefertari thought rapidly, making her way into the market. Everything was going well for her, with the smells of delicious food and merchants showing the wares that looked even more mesmerizing in the flickering lights of flame than in Amun's rays.

Unfortunately, Nefertari managed to knock into someone while she was distracted. She quickly muttered an apology but her eyes widened when she caught sight of him. He had white wild hair that contradicted his brown skin. His brown eyes shone with mischief and malice as clearly as the cloudless sky. There was a scar running down from his right eye and down his cheek. He grinned when he took in her tiny form and more importantly, the bag she carried.

"What could a little girl like you possibly be doing with such a nice bag like that?" He asked with amusement, though made sure he was quiet enough to not draw any attention to them. Nefertari shivered.

"I am not stealing, if that is what you mean."

The man laughed, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

"Not with that bold strut you aren't. I can see you're from the palace. Is there any way I could get some information about how to get in?" The man asked, dangerously quiet. Nefertari backed away fearfully but defiantly shook her head as tears formed at the corners of her eyes. The man followed her step for step, eventually backing her into a dark corner. He leaned forward, his mouth next to her ear.

"I'm not afraid of doing whatever I must, little girl..." He whispered wickedly, his hand gripping her shoulder. Nefertari thought of her brave queen and got over her fear. She began to struggle.

"No! Help! Anybody! This man is assaulting a servant of Pharaoh Atem and Queen Bali!" Nefertari yelled, and people gasped and turned their way. Murmurs were heard between some and others called for the Mehdji patrolling the streets. They came rushing forward.

The man growled but smirked at her all the same while drawing away.

"This isn't the last that you'll see of me, little girl! The palace won't protect you forever!" He sneered, and ran off, blending with the shadows as if he were born there. The Mehdji got through the crowds to ask the shaken maid where the man had gone. Nefertari pointed in the direction the man had melded into the shadows and while everyone watched as most went searching for the offender, Nefertari heard a comforting and familiar voice.

"Nefertari, are you alright? Queen Bali sent me out with the Mehdji because you've taken so long in coming home!" Mana called, waving her staff around while tumbling through the crowd.

"Mana! I was so scared!" Nefertari cried, hugging the older sorceress around the middle. Mana pat her head comfortingly and looked up with a frown.

"Don't you worry! I'm Master Mahad's best student and I won't let anything happen to you! Let's get back to the palace, the queen is worried!" Mana proclaimed, and led Nefertari away by her shoulders. Nefertari took time to calm down, but the man's cruel warning still rang clear in her mind.

_"The palace won't protect you forever!" _What did he mean?

* * *

><p>"Nefertari, is everything okay? I heard that you were attacked. Anything you need to talk about?" Bali immediately asked upon Nefertari's return. She sat comfortably on a cushioned ledge with Atem, who was also concerned.<p>

"Please, we want to help you." Atem added, squeezing Bali's hand so Bali wouldn't try to jump up. Bali was simply too round in the stomach to do that anymore.

Nefertari bowed deeply, with her left foot forward.

"I am grateful for your concern, I truly am. But I will be okay and it was a simple attack by a hopeful thief. He wanted my bag which bears gifts from Sethi and Mutnodjmet." Nefertari replied, avoiding the fact that the man had wanted entrance to the palace and had threatened her. She felt no need to sound the alarm for something so seemingly trivial. Atem and Bali shared a wary glance but decided that Nefertari would probably talk on her own time. They smiled.

"Is that so? Let's have a look-see then!" Bali said, leaning back against the wall to shift from her former support, that being Atem. The pharaoh rose and gently took the bag from Nefertari's still shaking hands. He ignored them because he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. He went back and sat next to Bali and he pulled out the bow and quiver of arrows, which made Bali's face light up grandly. Nefertari watched in wonder as the two marveled at the glass charm and praised the two gifts. Both gifts were so simple (despite the glass being expensive and rare) yet the two regarded them as if they were from fellow monarchy. Nefertari remembered when they received the news that Queen Sarin-an-Munad had conceived a baby boy a couple months ago as well as thanks for Bali and Atem's gifts for the baby. When Bali and Atem received gifts for the twins, the king and queen were overjoyed to find packages full of Syrian spices and beads and even a few toys for them to play with. The most prized gift were two small circlets that would adorn their heads to show their regal status while they were children. Sefu's was made with an image of Serket, the scorpion goddess and guardian of the pharaohs and Femi's was in the image of Hathor, goddess of love and friendship.

"Thank you for going to get these for us. I'm sure that Guit, Ayet (Mutnodjmet's father) and Layla already know how grateful we are for their generous gifts. I'm sure that Femi will love wearing that charm." Bali stated. Atem shot her a loving expression and kissed her shortly.

"And Sefu will love learning archery from the greatest archer in the world." He stated softly, making Bali beam.

Nefertari took it all in like she always did when the two were together. They had stayed together through war, terrible magic, and even the dark realms of death. Was there any way for them to be split apart?

"No," Nefertari thought with a small happy smile as she was excused.

"Our King and Queen will never fall, and they'll never let anything happen to the people they care for. That man's threat is as empty as his heart. May Ammet devour his soul." Nefertari thought fiercely and went about getting ready for sleep.

* * *

><p>The gang of ruthless thieves turned as their king returned to the hideout with a confident smirk. All stared up from their tankards of beer to watch as he strode up to his throne, which was merely a special spot where he could see and hear everything that went on in his hideout. A slender form stood and walked over as chatter began again.<p>

"Akefia, what did you do? The Mehdji told me you threatened a direct servant of the queen!" The woman voiced pertly. Her midnight blue eyes glimmered with concern but the thief king Akefia brushed her concern off.

"They have been looking for me for ages! Don't you worry, my darling Ebony. Soon we will be the ones hunting." He laughed, but snaked an arm around Ebony's waist and drew her close as he stood. He kissed her lustily before she could say anything more, groping her with his other hand all the while. He broke away and leaned to her ear while her lips began to swell.

"My bedchamber, my sweet?" He whispered softly, biting and nibbling on her ear afterwards. Ebony nodded.

"Of course, Master Akefia."

The whole room watched as the two went farther down into the depths of the hideout. A thief turned to his fellow next him.

"King Akefia prefers Ebony, doesn't he?"

"Well, they say he met and saved her from cruel palace guards when they were children. That was after what happened in Kul Elna. They've been together since then, their hatred for the kingdom and their plots for revenge for what happened to them growing. It seems like they'll never be apart. They certainly share a bed whenever they are both here at the same time." He replied, taking a swig of his beer.

"I wish I had a lady like that." The first stated longingly.

"There are plenty of whores around here that would gladly wrap their legs around even you." His buddy retorted and guffawed as the other snapped at him angrily.

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><p><strong>Holy Smokin' Ogres! I've introduced the greatest villain of them all! It's getting close to time for everything to start swirling into seriousness again! <strong>

**I wrote this all in one sitting which is amazing because I didn't really have any inspiration for this story for awhile. But I got Melvin and poof! I had to write a chapter! **

**Please review, like always. I adore them. Hope you liked the chapter and next time we'll see how deliciously evil I'm going to make Akefia! **


	36. If There is Ebony There Must Be Ivory

**Hey y'all! I'm having super inspiration right now, even though I cut my finger opening a bottle while trying to wash the damn thing and now it hurts when I poke stuff because I brushed a freaking nerve. Can you tell I'm pissed? **

**This chapter is just going to be fun! Whoo-hoo!**

**I don't own YGO! or anything that obviously isn't mine.**

**FUN FACT!: I mentioned earlier in the story a little snippet about hair. Most women in nobility actually shaved their heads religiously and just wore wigs. Why? Because it was easier to manage! Only the nobility and rich people did that kind of stuff though. Men shaved their heads too, and didn't really have hair. They didn't want it. as for children, they shaved their heads except for one small braided lock near the tops of their heads. That was the universal look for all girls and boys, regardless of class. Also, children didn't wear clothes. NOPE!**

**This is a warning! I know people usually don't care, but there will be some cussing when it comes to Akefia. It's not so bad right now, but in the future chapters he will drop the f-bomb quite a bit. It won't be every other word out of his mouth, but you know what I mean. AKEFIA HAS A POTTY MOUTH!**

**Have a fun time reading! Enjoy!**

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><p>She had to find him, no matter what. The man who had saved her so long ago... Seth! No matter how long ago she may have seen him, he was in her thoughts constantly! And now she sensed something on the horizon... danger of unprecedented force...<p>

"Oh Seth, where did you go? Perhaps I should start looking for you in Thebes." She sighed, leaning on a rock outcropping next to the road to take a breather. She wiped the sweat from her brow and swept some strands of her exotic long white hair from her face and out of her beautiful light blue eyes.

Her name is Kisara.

* * *

><p>Ebony couldn't fathom being anywhere but where she was. With the blackest hair and darkest eyes in the empire, she was the most attractive rogue Egypt had ever seen.<p>

"Lord Akefia kept me around for a reason. I'm not so soft as to drag him down by wanting trivial things, like a family." She mumbled to herself as she painted her face. It was half-hearted however as she thought about the king and queen.

Queen Bali was supposed to be the most powerful of magicians, and there were even rumors that she was a goddess. The queen also had something else attached to her name.

_Beautiful._

Ebony couldn't fathom anyone more beautiful than herself. She even outshined the former Princess, Sarin-an-Munad. But since she was in the underground, only scoundrels knew of her prestige.

But even the scoundrels started muttering that Bali was also a warrior, and therefore had a well-muscled physique. She had pale skin, dark hair that rivaled Ebony's, and enrapturing green eyes. It was no wonder that such a woman had so many stories and was told to be a goddess, and no wonder that she was married to pharaoh.

"But if she's so powerful, why did she settle down so much to even have children? It only provides weakness... But..." Ebony thought agonized. Ever since she was a child, she had loved Akefia. Although those soldiers destroyed everything she loved and she wanted revenge, Ebony still longed for a normal life. To settle down with the man she loved...

But Akefia had steadily grown crazier, bolder, and more dangerous. The only person who could talk to him freely was Ebony, and even she remained careful. Regardless, he still only wanted her, but that was what she was afraid of.

"'Want' is so utterly different than 'love.'" She thought with a forlorn sigh, and secretly she wished she could somehow talk to the queen, to see why she did the things she did and if love truly was the answer.

* * *

><p>Bali may have been forbidden to get up at that moment and time, but she didn't want to get up anyway. She felt so <em>heavy.<em> Her breasts had gotten bigger and she could only sleep on her back, when she usually fell asleep on her stomach. Bali, to say the least, and not for the first time in the last few months, felt extremely uncomfortable.

Mery, Su and Nefertari didn't hesitate to heed her every command. Since Bali was so irritable, she didn't need to be trifled with.

"My queen, how are you feeling?" Seshat asked, making her daily visit to Bali's suite.

"Like an invalid. Seriously, I can get up and walk you know. It'll be better for me. I don't feel like sleeping and just laying here is stupid." Bali ranted, clutching the sheet beneath her. Seshat sat on a chair at the bedside and laughed lightly.

"You have two weeks left. It's been a long while since we've had royal children born in the cold season."

"Lemme guess, usually they're conceived in the cold season, right?"

Seshat laughed more.

"You're right! I'll spare you details, but I still do not know one thing; When is _your_ birthday?" She asked curiously and Bali contemplated how to answer. She couldn't exactly say 'October twenty fourth.'

"A month ago. I turned nineteen." Bali responded, staring at the ceiling. Seshat sat back with a 'tsk.'

"And here my Isis hasn't even got married yet and she's two years older than you!" Seshat exclaimed with a hint of disappointment.

"I wouldn't say that she hasn't been working on it. She spends a lot of time around Mahad." Bali said with a grin. It was one of Bali's favorite things to do: tease Isis about Mahad. Seshat had her interest sparked.

"Oh really? That's quite interesting indeed! I wonder if Mahad is courting someone else?"

"I doubt it. They're both shy, so they don't want to admit to anything. I don't know who can convince them to just get a move on, but I'm a little busy for right now." Bali groaned, rubbing her stomach.

"Don't worry about anyone but you and those two little ones. The palace will be so lively with two children romping around. It's been so long since we've had those." Seshat sighed with whimsy and nostalgia. Bali rolled her eyes.

"Everyone's been saying that. I get the fact that it's been awhile since there've been royal children going crazy all over the place, but you don't have to hear about it every time you talk to someone." Bali retorted, lifting her head slightly and letting herself fall back into her pillow.

"Well, I'll try not to gush about it anymore around you. Is there something special you would like to hear from me today?" Seshat inquired, settling herself down for a long story. Bali always asked for a story, because it reminded her of her own mother and the stories she used to tell. Bali was so interested in the old story from when she was really small. The one about the mysterious Nameless Pharaoh...

Unfortunately, Bali didn't want to ask because the Pharaoh might not have ruled yet, and she didn't want to cause some type of confusion and let the information that she was from the future get leaked. It would be stupid and difficult to explain. It was hard enough dealing with some of Atem's questions, and usually he was sensitive about it.

"Any story you feel like telling, Seshat. If I fall asleep, let me sleep this time. I haven't been so tired in so long." Bali yawned, fluttering her eyes to keep from tearing up. Seshat nodded.

"That is a wise decision. Now, one hundred seasons ago, there were ten powerful sorcerers gifted by the many different gods..." Seshat began, and though the story was new, different and unusual, it didn't take long for Bali to fall asleep. Seshat watched over her for awhile until someone lightly tapped her shoulder.

"Hmm?" She questioned, but immediately stood and bowed.

"My king, might I ask what you're doing here?" Seshat inquired as Atem gave her a grateful smile.

"I just want to be around her for awhile. Thank you for looking after her, Seshat."

"It is no hindrance to me, my pharaoh. I will leave you two alone."

"Thank you."

Seshat left and Atem sat carefully on the bed so he wouldn't disturb Bali. He moved hair from her face and caressed her cheek gently and just watched her peacefully sleep.

"I love you." He whispered softly.

* * *

><p>Ebony strode across the streets with veteran expertise. Rogues all around knew who she was and kept out of her way for fear of getting punished by the thief king. She may have looked focused, but she was actually simply wandering, while her mind was scattered and irritated. Her dark cloak hid her form and her face as she strode through streets that were of poorer upkeep. Scummer edged certain allies, as these were designated to empty out the chamber pots.<p>

"Ugh, the lower side of the city. There's never anything really interesting that happens here." Ebony growled, but was surprised to see a gathering mob of people as she turned the corner onto another street.

"Might as well see what's going on."

Ebony pushed her way through the crowd, which was fairly easy since many recognized her.

"What's going on?" She asked seriously once she was at the front. The man next to her had his arm crossed and spat towards the woman laying beaten in the street.

"There have been rumors from cities down the river that there was once an entire bandit gang wiped out my a white dragon that appeared from a girl with pale skin, white hair and blue eyes. Even though no harm came to anyone innocent, I don't trust that a _woman _can control such power for long. She should be killed before she can lose control." The man explained and Ebony felt something wash over her. Anger, guilt, and thoughts of violence mounted on her.

"All of you, get out of here! The only ones who can pass judgement are the gods!" Ebony yelled into the crowds. Usually a phrase like that worked well. No one wanted to upset their chances of putting Ma'at's feather out of balance with a sin. But they only hesitated slightly and then started again. Two men grabbed her elbows and restrained her.

"Hey, I am part of King Akefia's court of thieves! Let me go now!" Ebony ordered, but the man who had explained things smirked.

"We know exactly who you are, miss. But you don't seem to know that the King of Thieves has rivals among the rogues of Egypt. I think I'll turn you in to the Mehdji because it's always fun to hear of a palace execution. Besides, Akefia can't get in there to stop it." He muttered to her with a sneer, and Ebony paled as she was dragged away from the crowd. They gagged her and held her why another man went off to bring the Mehdji.

"The one thing I try to do right in my life ends up getting me into this situation. The men searched her for all of her weapons, not restraining themselves from touching her inappropriately. Ebony struggled but couldn't do anything.

"Nul, I've brought Lord Seth and Lord Shada! They were out on patrol today as well!" The man snickered, having returned with a whole palace entourage.

"What is going on?" Seth yelled angrily and the mob went silent.

"Lord Seth, the girl is a danger! She possesses the white dragon!" someone yelled, only to be silenced by a harsh glare from Seth. Seth jumped from his horse and strode over to the girl laying in the dirt. His eyes widened as he remembered.

"Kisara, is that really you?" He questioned quietly to himself, before turning to Shada.

"This girl needs to be escorted back to the palace and given a room at once! Get her cleaned up and fed!" Seth ordered, more towards the troops than anyone. Shada stepped forward with his Millennium Key to analyze the comment the citizen had given of the white dragon. Soon enough, power surged through the key and Shada received the terrifying image of a god-like dragon.

"Shada, what's wrong?" Seth asked as Shada doubled over from the overbearing force.

"Her monster...! It's too strong!" Shada sputtered in pain. Seth held firmly to his orders and the girl was carefully lifted away and moved towards the palace. People jeered but Seth merely felt his rage grow.

"Get out of here, all of you! I'll throw you all in jail if I have to for disturbing the peace!" He bellowed, and the crowd dispersed rapidly. Seth helped Shada get back onto his horse only to be confronted by thugs. Seth's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"What do you want?"

"Oh, we don't mean to offend, my lord. We just caught a woman who might interest you, that's all. She's been wanted dead or alive for awhile now." The leader explained and Seth straightened in surprise. Only one woman was wanted by the Mehdji.

"You caught Ebony?"

"Yessir, she's right here." The leader replied, and two of his men dragged the struggling Ebony before Seth's eyes. Seth smirked.

"I see. Good work. Your compensation will be that I won't hunt you anymore, Nul. Not until I find out that you did something else, at least." Seth commented, and Ebony was promptly knocked unconscious by a blow to the head from one of Nul's thugs. Nul bowed with his own arrogant grin.

"As was arranged, my lord. It was nice workin' with ye." Nul returned, and the Mehdji took Ebony and hauled her back to be placed in the palace dungeons. Nul and his thugs saluted the two priests and trundled off, feeling a mug of expensive wine was something they could afford themselves for their victory.

"It's a shame such a beautiful girl has such rotted soul. It pains me to know we have to kill her." Shada commented, his strength returning steadily. Seth shrugged and perched himself on his horse.

"It's no concern of mine whether they are ugly or not: if they commit such heinous crimes against the kingdom they will be punished." He answered, and both priests rode back up to the palace.

* * *

><p>"WHERE IS EBONY?" Akefia shouted into his hideout, tearing the place apart in a blind rage. She hadn't returned and Akefia needed her. His men scattered like chickens but one remained, to drunk to be afraid to die.<p>

"She got caught sir. They dragged her up to the palace all prisoner, like. I bet she's left this world by now, knowin' them priests." The man slurred, and was immediately raked deeply with Akefia's short sword.

"NO! WHY DIDN'T ANYONE STOP THEM? YOU FUCKING ASSES ARE WORTH NOTHING COMPARED TO HER!" He howled in outrage, cursing everything on heaven and earth.

Blood seeped into the walls of the hideout that night, the screams of terror echoing throughout the empty desert that surrounded them. By the morning, Akefia stumbled out into the sun, drenched in the blood of his men and weeping.

"Ebony, I swear I will kill every last one of them like we promised!" He muttered, dropping to his knees.

* * *

><p>"... I see. If it has been that way for so long, you had no choice. Akhenaden, you made sure it was her?" Atem asked gravely, hearing of the execution of a thief woman named Ebony. The woman had refused to eat or sleep and stayed guarded, so the priests had been reduced to crudely hanging her, since she wouldn't take the peaceful poison that had no other side effects but death.<p>

"Yes, pharaoh. Ebony has been one of the kingdom's worst criminals for years." Akhenaden confirmed with an incline of his head. Atem sighed, rubbing his face tiredly. Bali had been a handful during the night hours.

"I remember hearing of her when I went out and about Thebes. Let's give her back to the Holy Nile, as it is the most merciful thing we can do." Atem ordered, and both Seth and Shada bowed.

"Yes, my king." Both answered, and walked out to do their task.

"As much as it is sad to hear of such evil at a peaceful time. We must remain happy for the queen's sake." Shimon advised, and Atem's head snapped up.

"There will be not a word of this to Queen Bali! Am I understood?"

"Yes, your majesty!" Was the resounding answer. Atem felt relieved and sat back in his throne.

"No wonder father was so merciful. Executions are so rough." He muttered, but listened as a noble from Syria entered court with greetings from the King. Despite all of the other distractions, a feeling in the pit of Atem's stomach brought him dread.

Why did he feel like Ebony's death was going to bring something truly terrible to his kingdom?

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><p><strong>Oh, Ebony! I liked you but for the purposes of this story you have to die. Sorry 'bout that. <strong>

**How was it? Pretty good? Why don't you tell me by reviewing! The more reviews the quicker I'll update, because I'm about to go to college and reviews will keep my attention focused on this. So yeah. Do it. Please.**


	37. Tragic Love Story

**Hey guys! You'll really like this new chapter because it explains a lot of things!**

**I don't own YGO! or anything that obviously isn't mine. **

**Aren't y'all glad I updated? College has been going great! Every day is an adventure (though I'd almost prefer a nap. Math is exhausting!) **

**FUN FACT!: The heart shape that we love so much (3) can be dated back to Egypt, and it did actually represent the heart and love and all of that goodness. So thank Egypt for Valentine's Day. Just kidding!**

**With that, please enjoy (I should be writing a paper for class, you know...)**

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><p>Akefia walked through the desert, his face caked with dirt, with smalls runs on his cheeks from his tears. Everyone was gone, in just one night! His mother, his father, everyone he held dear! All because of the damned king who supposedly brought peace to the realm!<p>

"Why did they do that, mommy?" He asked himself repeatedly, his small hands shivering in sadness and rage. How could everything be turned upside down so suddenly?

He resettled his small pack of belongings and what little food he had reserved for himself. He couldn't go back to Kul Elna now because he would die, but he didn't know if he would survive anyway. All he did know was that he would get his revenge someday, no matter how he did it!

Days passed, and his needs for survival depleted further and further.

One day, near the time when Ra began retreating into the west, Akefia collapsed, too tired to carry on.

"I can't die... Not when I still have to avenge my village." He whispered hoarsely, his mind determined. As he lay there, he wondered if he would be able to move ever again while thinking about his parents.

His mother was a small-time magic user, a beautiful woman who helped the sick and injured in the village. She gave Akefia his wide, brown eyes and his sense of mischief. He didn't inherit any magic skills, but she had always said the magic was passed on to daughters in her bloodline.

His father was a tall, strong man who believed in protecting his young family above all else. Akefia had inherited his particular color of tan skin and shaggy white hair. Akefia didn't exactly know what his father did during the day, but Akefia always got to play with him when he returned.

And now they are gone, thanks to the pharaoh.

Akefia closed his eyes to welcome the sleep on the edge of his mind.

"Help me!" He heard a girl scream. Akefia at first believed it to be a mere illusion or memory from that night and continued to doze.

"Shut up, little girl! The pharaoh's court ordered us to leave you here! No one can help you!" A man shouted, and Akefia could hear the distressed wails of the little girl grow louder. Akefia snapped his eyes open and painfully got himself to sit up.

Soon, the only voice he could hear was the little girl's.

Akefia dragged himself up and walked towards the sound.

When he crested a sand dune, he looked down and saw a mop of black hair curled up in the sand at the base. Akefia carefully slid down the dune so he could reach her quickly, but ended up being too tired and tumbled after his knee buckled.

Once he stopped, he began crawling towards the girl. She heard him and looked up with enchanting dark blue eyes. They widened and she unfurled herself to run the short distance to Akefia.

"Are you okay? How did you get out here?" She asked with a giant sniffle to draw up her sobs.

"I am... Akefia. My village was destroyed by the pharaoh... I... will get revenge..." Akefia breathed, his eyes shut in exhaustion and pain. The little girl stared down at him while processing his words. Akefia's eyes snapped open when he felt the mouth of a water skin pressed against his lips. He looked to the little girl to see a kind smile on her face.

"Don't worry. Those guys who dropped me here left me with some stuff. You can drink as much as you want." She offered, helping him sit up so he could drink and not choke. Akefia drank greedily, but made sure not to empty it. Water is too important to waste at that point and time.

"Thank you. Why did they drop you here, uh..." He trailed off and the girl giggled.

"Ebony. My name is Ebony."

Akefia thought the name perfect for her and blushed a little at her cuteness.

"My parents and I were living peacefully in Thebes when men just broke into our house claiming we were under arrest for treasonous acts. But all my parents were trying to do was protect me." Ebony explained, though her eyes leaked tears. Akefia scooted forward in interest. It sounded a lot like what had happened to him.

"Protect you from what?"

"Pharaoh proclaimed after the war when the Millennium Items were made that any and all monsters known to anyone should be reported so that they can be sealed away. I was born with a really powerful one and my parents knew that if it was sealed away, I would die. And now I still might die. They dropped me here because the Pharaoh couldn't bear to see a little girl sealed off. The crown Prince is my age, after all."

"How old are you?"

"I'm nine years old."

Akefia went into a slight silent pout. Ebony is two years older than he.

"The pharaoh ordered my village destroyed and sacrificed for some weird ritual. I'm the only survivor." Akefia said, deciding that he should probably give his story too. Ebony's face reverted to pity.

"That's terrible. The pharaoh hasn't really done well by us, has he?" Ebony whispered and Akefia glowered to the side.

"You've got that right. You sound really smart." Akefia addressed, and Ebony blushed.

"I took scribe lessons in secret." She admitted and Akefia sat back impressed.

At that moment, their lives revolved around each other, and around their plans to replace the pharaoh.

After wandering a few more days in the desert, a desert tribe of bandits found them and took them in. They were raised within that environment, their anger growing for the crown of Egypt because these bandits were exiled as well. Both learned how to fight, the many ways of trickery, and Ebony and Akefia grew closer to each other as the years went on.

...

"Ebony, why don't you ever use that monster inside of you? It could really help with our goal, you know." Akefia grumbled, taking Ebony by surprise one day during their noon meal. The desert bandits, thanks to the help of the two children they saved, found an oasis to reside at for a base. The oasis is within a day's riding distance of Thebes but out-of-the-way enough to serve as a hideout. Any trespassers are killed immediately.

"The monster inside of me is the cause of a lot of the pain in my life, be it because of the pharaoh or not. I don't know how to use it, and I don't think anyone could tell me how to use it. I don't want to hurt anyone. Especially you." Ebony admitted, looking away shyly.

Akefia tilted his head in concern.

"Why would you hurt me? I don't care about anyone here. The only one that matters is our goal." He sneered, spitting to the side. He couldn't see, but Ebony stared down sadly at the few meager blades of desert grass. Akefia didn't know anything about peace or forgetting a grudge. He was set to fulfill everything he wanted in life.

"Akefia, what will you do if you _do_ manage to take down the pharaoh? What happens then?" Ebony asked, a slight edge in her voice.

"I'll rule this world. No one will dare go against my regime!" Akefia growled in answer but Ebony shook her head.

"That's not what I meant! Don't you want to have a family?" there was silence and Ebony believed she had said too much. Now Akefia would know how much she wanted to settle down with him.

"A family would slow me down and distract me. I will choose a child I see fit and train him to take over when I leave this world." He responded calmly, obviously not catching what Ebony had really stated.

"I... I-I see. That makes sense. Akefia, where do you think I will go when you take over?" She inquired, trying a different approach.

"Wherever you want. You'll be the freest person in the world Ebony. You'll have everything you want." Akefia answered with a smile, a rare genuine smile that only came out for her. As much as Ebony loves that smile, she shakes her head once more and tears leak from her eyes.

"All I want is you!" Ebony exclaimed, but clapped her hands over her mouth afterwards. Akefia stared at her with a blank expression before he gently pried her hands away and kissed her.

This was the beginning of their physical relationship, at the ages of 17 and 15.

* * *

><p>Akefia thought back to all of the times Ebony held back and soothed him. How he had taken her presence for granted and ignored her when he was furthering his conquest...<p>

"Ebony, you must help me! What made you think that we could have hoped to think about not getting revenge! Your soft heart let them get you, and now you're gone!" He yelled into the night, tears streaming down his face and dripping to the desert sand.

Akefia, who had never considered it before Ebony got killed, fell in love with her. She had been the only reason it had taken him so long to finally deliver his devastating strike to the empire of Egypt... But he couldn't condemn himself for it.

For now, that love turned to a crazed madness and desire for blood.

"Akefia..." The wind whispered sadly and the bandit king snapped his head up and listened. Before his eyes, light bloomed like a gorgeous lotus bloom. Ebony appeared floating above him in a startling bright vision.

"Ebony!" He choked, not able to move in his awe. Her expression was one of somber and serious determination.

"Akefia, I am sorry I have failed you. Now all I wish is for you to be safe and happy. I don't want you to do anything that might hurt you even more. Please, take my creature as your own. He is of great power, and he is a part of me. I'll always be with you Akefia. I love you." She said softly, her gaze not shifting one moment from his.

"Ebony, wait, don't go!" Akefia pleaded when she crossed her arms, closed her eyes and began to fade away and be replaced by another figure. This creature had the head and torso of a man and a snake for a lower body.

"Please take care of him, _Diabound._" Ebony's voice whispered faintly and the creature jerked his head down and stared at Akefia before hastening towards him.

Diabound flew into Akefia before the thief could do anything about it. As the monster joined into Akefia's soul, it grew mightier with the dark power of Akefia's hatred.

"I swear Ebony... I will kill them all. You have given me the means to finally begin!" Akefia shouted, and began to laugh furiously with tears continuing their course down his face.

* * *

><p>"Master Akefia, King of Thieves..." A hooded man drawled from atop his grey stallion. A group of men waited on their horses behind him. Akefia turned and glared at them venomously.<p>

"That glare is fantastic. You are the one we were sent to find." The man laughed and jumped from his horse. Akefia stood fully and waited for the man to elaborate.

"You must be wondering who we are by now? It's only natural, after all." The man continued.

"If you do not get to the point, I will kill you. I am not one for distractions." Akefia stated sharply. The man stopped in front of him and lifted his hood from his head. Akefia's eyes narrowed at the blood red eyes that met him.

"I am Korket, as disciple of Set, the god of wrath and chaos, murderer of Osiris. You are his prophesied incarnation, Akefia. _You _will kill the pharaoh, just as Set did eons ago." The man introduced, the chaos of man's sins reflecting in his eyes. Akefia wanted to laugh, but found that he couldn't.

"I do what I want. I will get my revenge for my own reasons." Akefia snarled, turning away.

"Ah, but that is what you should do. By no means are you bound to any of Set's wishes. However, myself and these gentlemen behind me are. And we have been told to assist you flawlessly in your plan to overthrow the greatest power of Egypt. Wouldn't you like it to be perfect? After all, they just took away the only woman you ever learned to love..." Korket explained lightly and poignantly, and Akefia stopped and glowered at him, calculating every inch of the man before him.

Nothing in Korket's stance told Akefia that he was lying. Akefia put his hands on his hips and grinned, only his eyes showing the fire of malice in his eyes.

"That sounds dandy, as my former crew lost their usefulness... But I will warn you once: **Get in my way and I will kill you." **Akefia growled, his gaze boring into Korket's. Korket smirked and bowed almost mockingly.

"Consider us warned. What do you wish we servants of Set to do first, master?" Korket inquired, and Akefia turned towards the direction of the sun, rising at last after Ra's long nightly battle. Despite Korket's question, Akefia ignored everything around him and stared into the eastern sky. Ebony's radiant image showed in his mind's eye.

"Pharaoh, I will take away everything you love. Suffer!" He hissed quietly but with all of the fierceness in the world.

* * *

><p>"Augh!" Atem yelped as he sat bolt upright in bed. Ra was beginning to rise and Atem gripped the sheets as cold sweat leaked down his face. He gasped for breath as if he had been running for miles. Bali stirred beside him and put a concerned hand on his arm.<p>

"Atem, are you alright?" She asked worriedly but Atem swallowed and forced a small smile.

"Just a strange dream, nothing more. Keep resting, my love." He soothed, and Bali's eyelids fluttered closed after giving him a small smile. Atem got up and gt ready for the day ahead, dread in the pit of his stomach.

"Something is wrong... Someone is coming for me..." He mumbled, putting a hand to his head and distractedly walking out of his chambers.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh Atem, if you only knew! <strong>

**The disciples of Set are something I just thought up because Set is the evil god and I mean... hello, it's perfect! **

**Ah, the tragic love story of Akefia and Ebony... That's what truly can make a man be full of hate and madness, honestly.**

**Please review! There's a lot of things I'm going to be doing but I need motivation to keep writing and paying attention to this story. Guess what? You guys give me that motivation! Let's get cooking with the gas so I can charge to the finish (which we're kinda close, if you haven't noticed). Any constructive criticism, ideas, praise, anything. I'm a greedy snob, I know, but hey. You guys are great. I'm just a lowly writer. Praise doesn't come much from anyone but you guys. So please. Pity me and what I've become. **

**Review.**


	38. A New Friendship

**Hey y'all, I'm finally back! College has been kick-butt, in more ways than one! I've been busy, but now I've gotten enough inspiration to write! Being friend-zoned really cut me for a little bit, but I'm seriously okay now. Plenty of good-looking, manly fish in the sea.**

**FUN FACT!: Just a fun little thing for you about when I was first coming up with the concept for this story. Bali was actually going to be from Victorian England for awhile. But I decided against it because, well, I wanted a heroine that would reflect Indiana Jones, in a way. Plus Bali is way too American. Which makes me think I could've made her a rough 'n' tough woman in the Old West, but whatever. Bali is who she is, and I like her that way!**

**I don't own anything that obviously isn't mine. Like YGO!**

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"They're going to be here any day now, Bali. I have no idea what they're waiting for." Seshat announced, hands on hips while staring at Bali laying on her back.<p>

"I wish they'd just decide already. I mean, childbirth doesn't sound fun but I hate this state of limbo." Bali replied with a groan.

"Trust me, I'm not too keen on it either." Atem stated from the entrance to the room. Bali shifted her head around to glare and roll her eyes at him.

"You have nothing to worry about, love. I'm the one going through hell, not you." She retorted blandly. Atem put his hands up defensively.

"I'm not even going to try and argue with that. I just can't wait for our family, that's all."

"Good. They'll be here soon, I promise. I won't let them stay any longer than necessary." Bali growled, poking her giant stomach with a pout. Atem strode to her and kissed her on the cheek. A commotion came from the hall and the monarchs turned their attention to the entrance of the room.

"My pharaoh! It's terrible, absolutely horrible!" Isis cried, running into the room followed by the rest of the guardians.

"What?" Atem asked, and Bali lifted her head in wonder and worry.

"There are mutilated cats strung all around Thebes and there are three corpses stuck on poles near the entrance to the palace!" Mahad answered, paler than usual as he thought about the condition of those bodies.

"Who are the three?"

"They are the men who captured and brought Ebony to me. This may be Akefia's fault. Yesterday, we finally found the old rogue hideout only to find that every man there was slaughtered. The only man we haven't found is Akefia, the Thief King." Seth elaborated, gritting his teeth. When he set his sights on those men he knew immediately what had happened. But nothing explained the blasphemous crime of the mutilated cats.

"Given the timing I'm going to assume they're connected. Someone is trying to make a statement." Bali commented, and everyone jumped and looked at her in surprise.

"What, did you forget I'm here too?!" Bali asked incredulously.

"You shouldn't trouble yourself over this, Bali." Atem muttered for only her to hear, but she shoved him away.

"I'm pregnant, not braindead! I can't go off gallivanting but I can help solve things!" She yelled furiously, causing the whole group to flinch collectively.

"I know, I'm sorry. I just thought that you would want rest. But you're absolutely right. The major suspect is Akefia. Be it covertly or otherwise, find him as quickly as possible! A crime of this magnitude cannot go unpunished!" Atem ordered fiercely, waving his hand out in grandeur. His guardians all bowed hurriedly and rushed away. Atem turned back to his queen and knelt down to be at eye level with her.

"Hopefully we can get this incident safely taken care of. If you need any more details you know who to ask. If you get any new ideas, don't hesitate to call." Atem said seriously. Bali nodded with that same seriousness.

"I'll be thinking over it. Just don't do anything too drastic." Bali replied, and both smiled before Atem left to go take care of his own duties. Bali sighed once she was alone.

"Femi, Sefu, why can't you come out sooner? I have a feeling that this 'Crossroads in Time' is going to be a bad thing, and that it is now just beginning."

* * *

><p>Priest Seth went directly to visit the woman with pale skin and white hair.<p>

"There's something so familiar about you, but I can't remember exactly who you are..." He muttered, watching her sleeping form. She had yet to wake because of her utter exhaustion. But now she stirred, and Seth knelt down close to listen to her quiet words.

"Seth, is that you?" She asked weakly and Seth's eyes widened. He knew that voice and remembered her suddenly and clearly.

"Kisara, is it really you? Why now after all this time?" Seth questioned rapidly, clutching the Millennium Rod.

"I need..." She trailed off, still half-asleep.

"What? What do you need?!"

"Uh..." Kisara drifted off once more, and she fell to slumber again. Seth pounded the ground with his fist in frustration, looking to the side with clenched teeth.

"Why isn't there anything I can do?" He questioned himself, standing and leaving the room while pondering Kisara's presence. As Seth left the room, a pair of eyes scrutinized him from the shadows.

"Seth, why is this woman so important to you? What secrets does she possess?" He questioned in a whisper, stepping forward and looking down on the girl. His one good eye widened when Kisara managed to mutter one final word:

"... Danger..."

...

When Seth left, he made for the outdoor training areas, for he felt that if he trained he would feel better and clear his head. He chose one of many swords in the nearby armory and tested its weight. He began a few simple exercises. Before he got into more advanced sword dances, Bali interrupted him.

"Lovely day for some practice, right?" She called, and Seth jumped ever so slightly because he was so tense. He drops to one knee and bows his head.

"It is, my lady." He answers, only to have Bali snort.

"Please, you don't have to do that crap with me. We've known each other far too long for that. What say you we go around?" She asks, drawing up her own sword. Seth stood with an incredulous look.

"You must be joking, my queen! You are due at any moment!" He argues and Bali snorts.

"I finally got away from everyone and now I've got you hounding me? Anyway, I'll be fine. I'm going to stay right here in this spot while you have the toughest time with my new fighting ability." Bali taunted, effectively getting on Seth's nerves and jabbing at his pride.

"Fine, I accept your challenge then. You may make the first move."

"Such a gentleman. _En guarde!"_ She yells, letting her sword go. While Seth is first confused by her little flourish of French, the sword floats forward and glows orange.

The sword lunges towards his face, causing him to snap out of his confusion and dodge quickly and sharply to the side. Soon, he is completely engrossed in a sword fight with Bali, without Bali being in danger at all. After a few rounds of Seth beating his frustration away, Bali called her sword back and ended the fight.

"Giving up already, my Queen?" Seth taunted with a smirk, only to have Bali turn it back on him.

"Just go talk to her. She's awake and seems like a nice girl. She told me she's been trying to find you for awhile now. Better not keep her waiting any longer now that all of your frustration is let out." Bali informed, and left Seth standing with a strange gawp. By the time he regained his composure, Bali had rounded the corner the opposite way and out of his range of protest. And much to his chagrin, he felt grateful for the stress relief Bali had given him. He hated it when Bali was right, and this time is no different.

But Kisara came to the forefront of his mind and he basically ran to her room to finally get his questions answered.

* * *

><p>Bali started her day rather well, despite the fact that her children still refused to remove themselves.<p>

"This is ridiculous. I'm gonna take a walk. It's healthy." Bali grumbled, carefully sitting up and swinging her legs over the edge of her bed. Looking around to make sure no one was going to sound the alarm, she got going on her walk with a simple smile on her face.

"Why have I never thought of going for a walk when no one is watching me for my nap?" She questioned herself, only to have the answer shot back to her by a mental voice.

"Because you are usually more tired than you let on." it echoed, and Bali blew strand of hair from her face in exasperation.

But as she passed a certain room that was supposed to be empty, there was a groan and sounds of movement from inside. The guard posted outside the door was stock still in nervous attention as Bali turned her head towards him.

"Do we have a guest in there? It's okay if you're under orders not to tell, just inform me if they're a prisoner or something." Bali told him with a friendly shrug. The guard swallowed with difficulty.

"Sh-she is a guest of Priest Seth, my Queen. I am here to protect her." He stumbled and Bali pat his shoulder.

"Good job. I have a feeling Seth doesn't want my Pharaoh to know of our little guest here, but that doesn't mean anything to me. Don't worry about Priest Seth. If he gives you any trouble about this, I will take care of it, my honor as your Queen." Bali stated, flashing him an amiable smile. The guard relaxed automatically.

"Thank you my Queen. You are gracious."

"I know. Now let's see here..." Bali trailed off, entering the room slowly and taking in the sight. There wasn't much to it, just the bare essentials. Though there was a beautiful vase of fresh flowers that made Bali snicker.

"Seth, you must like this person... Oh, excuse me!" Bali apologized, a grin spreading on her face as she saw that there was someone cowering under the blanket, staring at her with wide eyes.

"Don't be shy, I promise I only yell at my husband." Bali joked, but nothing seemed to change.

"Being Queen does not make me evil. What's your name? I'm Bali. If you don't mind, I'm going to sit down. These two are really kind of heavy." Bali said, sitting on the bed next to the woman who was around her own age. The beautiful girl slowly dropped the sheet and her blue eyes widened.

"You are having twins?" She asked meekly, though the glint of fascination glowed in her eyes. Bali nodded.

"A boy and a girl. But I'll tell you what, they'll be far more fascinating when they decide to come into the world." Bali snorted, poking her stomach with irritation. Bali finally got a giggle out of the woman.

"My name is Kisara. Seth- Priest Seth saved my life and he was so kind to me when others were not. I came to warn him of danger and- oh... ah..." Kisara started, but grew embarrassed, her cheeks glowing red. Bali laughed.

"And you just plain wanted to see him again. No worries, I'm good at keeping secrets, especially from him. We're pretty good friends, though at one point we could have happily murdered each other." Bali commented, causing Kisara to gasp and bring her hands up to her mouth.

"That's terrible! But I suppose you get along now. I know this may seem a little personal of me, but... How did you and the Pharaoh fall in love?" Kisara asked shyly, twiddling with a strand of her long, pure white hair. Bali thought back.

"Hmm... Well, from the talks I've had with him, he definitely fell in love with me before I did him. Both of us denied it when we individually discovered our feelings for each other, but everything turned out well. It's rather hilarious, really..." Bali began, and proceeded to tell Kisara about everything (leaving out some parts about being from another time, of course). By the time Bali had finished, an hour had passed and both Bali and Kisara felt a mutual kinship for each other, having traded life stories and knowing loneliness from experience, and from being two pale people in a mostly tan society.

"Why don't you stay here and eat; I'll send Seth your way. If he's treating you so nicely and you have the history you say you do, he must be dying to talk to you." Bali suggested, hauling herself up and making her way out.

"Thank you Queen Bali! For everything, it really helps to have yet another kind friend in this place." Kisara thanked, bowing her head slightly.

"Don't mention it. I like having new friends just as much as the next person. I'd better go though, I bet the palace servants are squealing because I've wandered off somewhere. I should be able to fend them off long enough to get Seth to you. see you later!" Bali chirped, hands on stomach and a careful stride afoot.

...

Kisara looked up from the last of her dinner plate to see a heavily breathing Priest Seth. There was a pause between the two as they stared each other down before Seth genuinely smiled.

"Kisara, I have missed you." He admitted quietly, only to have thin arms thrown around his neck in a strong hug.

"I missed you too, Seth."

Around the corner, the ever so sneaky Bali had managed to keep herself hidden while watching the interaction. She began to turn and leave before her companion stopped her teasingly.

"You're going to leave now? I thought you'd want to watch the whole show." Atem chided, but Bali looped her arm into his and dragged him off with her, so they could walk in the glow of the setting sun and admire the starlight.

* * *

><p><strong>Seth and Kisara, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! Mature, right? But it's adorable! unfortunately, stuff gets more serious next chapter, as the next events will be extremely familiar. <strong>

**Please review, you know the spiel. Just do it, please. (I added the please cuz I don't wanna get sued by Nike).**


	39. Waiting for Midnight

**Jeepers, it's another chapter! Wowee, I just really plugged through this one, lemme tell ya! By the way, I'm not going to be an archaeologist anymore: I'm now studying to be a high school band teacher, because it's what I'm really good at. Good thing too, because the other day at Wal-Mart the checker was a graduated Anthropology major(what I was) who didn't have any other job. **

**It's Finals Week for me, so that's why I probably had the urge to write on this story *cough* procrastination *cough***

**I'm nineteen, y'all! It was a great birthday, though I have a bad cold so that kinda sucks.**

**FUN FACT!: I never originally planned for the whole "Anubis" arc. It popped up outta nowhere. Oh, and the bow and arrow are ten thousand years old. They're my favorite weapons besides the trusty sword!**

**I don't own YGO! or anything that obviously isn't mine. **

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"Bali, listen to me now: I have come to tell you that the time has arrived. You will go into labor at midnight tonight, and your children will be born after three days. You must keep hidden and stay safe through this time. You will be weak and vulnerable, and the Crossroads in Time will take place. Be careful. Tauret, Ma'at, Hathor and I will be there to help you." Isis barked authoritatively. Bali grumbled in her sleep but nodded. Her dream ended with a fade and Bali's eyes snapped open. It was still dark outside, in the early morning.<p>

"Atem, wake up." Bali said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Isis just visited me in my dream. I will go into labor at midnight tonight."

"What?!"

This is exactly how Bali's morning began, and now everyone was twitching and waiting for midnight to come, even though it was barely noon. Luckily, Shimon decided that the tension would be better eased than anything, and called to attention an idea.

"My pharaoh, we know that your children are about to be born in the next three days! We should have a celebration in honor of this glorious occasion, which should escalate until they are finally born." He suggested and Atem, in his distracted state, actually agreed. Shimon sighed.

"In any case, it will help calm down some of the people around the palace, my king. I will set out the orders for an opening feast."

"So let it be said, so let it be done." Atem replied.

Word got out to Thebes that a grand celebration was mounting in the palace for the upcoming birth of the pharaoh's children.

At a small tavern on the outskirts of Thebes, a runner heard the news and skulked back to the desert hideout where the rest of the Disciples of Set were located.

In a small room connected to the bedchamber that overlooked the Nile is where Bali found out.

"YOU'RE HAVING A PARTY?!" She screeched, her godly glow intensifying. Six of the seven bearers of the Millennium Items took steps backwards. Atem eased his way forward with a weak, reassuring grin. His hands were raised defensively.

"Bali, it's just to ease the tension with everyone in the palace! I will be waiting for the three days without having much fun, and you know it." Atem assuaged, and Bali kept her frown but crossed her arms and muttered "whatever."

Korket and the Disciples of Set had quite the opposite reaction.

"You are sure that this celebration is taking place in the palace?" Korket asked for clarification. The runner nodded with an assuring smile.

"It has practically been screamed throughout the streets, milord." he responded, causing a collective snicker throughout the room.

"Lord Akefia will be most pleased to hear of this. It will be the opportunity he was waiting for to interrupt the Pharaoh's cushy lifestyle." Korket snorted and all stood laughing until a loud bang signaled the entrance of Akefia.

"I'm back! Now what have you twits been doing all day?" Akefia bellowed, traipsing in with a load of stolen funeral relics, draped in fancy clothing and jewels, and dragging a mummified body from a rope around its neck.

"We just received news that the queen will be going into labor at midnight tonight, Lord Akefia. It will be the perfect window of opportunity for you to destroy the pharaoh and take the Millennium Items, as the the goddess will be unable to fight." Korket informed and a wicked grin spread on Akefia's face.

"That's excellent news! And here I thought that I'd have more trouble with paying them a visit. I even decided to bring a special guest. Gentlemen, say hello to the former Pharaoh Akhnemkhanen!" Akefia laughed, tugging the rope harshly. The group laughed, but some nervously shuffled their feet. After all, defiling a pharaoh was defiling a _god._

"Very amusing, Lord Akefia. Do you wish us to do anything of assistance?" Korket inquired with a jibing smirk. Akefia grunted.

"Just don't get in my way."

"As you wish, Lord Akefia."

* * *

><p>The celebration began as Ra took the sun to the underworld. Although spirits were high, the tension was still far too powerful for anyone to join fully into the jovial atmosphere.<p>

Atem sighed and rested his head on the palm of his hand. Bali had to stay in the prep room until the time came, and he wasn't allowed to see her at all.

"Your majesty, I know it is exhausting and disappointing that you can't be at the queen's side right now, but think of the joy that will come once the three days are over!" Shimon comforted, the bearers of the Millennium Items smiling in agreement. Isis stepped forward.

"My pharaoh, I assure you that my mother will take the best of care with her. And don't forget that the great goddesses will also be present." Isis comforted, giving a slight incline of the head to show respect. Atem sighed.

"Thank you everyone. I will try to lighten up, I-" Atem started, but was accidentally interrupted by a distressed messenger.

"Lady Isis, your assistance is needed with the honorable Queen Bali. I was sent by your mother Lady Seshat." The messenger huffed from a side entrance, and Isis met the eyes of her king before nodding and racing off towards the birthing antechamber Bali was waiting in. Unfortunately, this circumstance only proved to get Atem into a more anxious mood than before.

"Is something wrong? Is she giving birth now? Has she been attacked with some illness?" Atem asked himself, his thoughts raging through his head. Little did he know that Bali was worrying him for absolutely nothing.

...

"Why can't I just go sit out there until the time comes?! It's my party to enjoy too!" Bali grouched, trying and failing to heave herself up to join Atem in the great hall.

"Lady Bali, it is inappropriate for you to be seen like this at all! You will get to enjoy the festivities that follow the birth of the twins, I promise you!" Seshat appeased, keeping a firm hold on Bali's shoulders to keep her laying down. Bali gave a frustrated sigh.

"How much longer until midnight?!" Bali huffed, slamming her hands onto the mattress on either side of her. Seshat could only shrug along with Mery, Su and Nefertari. Isis ran in panting.

"Is something wrong?" She asked breathlessly, walking straight to her mother.

"Oh no, it was just that the Queen wished for company." Seshat replied, earning a frustrated glare from said queen.

"I see. Trust me, Queen Bali, the festivities are not at all very much fun. Pharaoh is much too focused on you to try and act cheerful." Isis informed.

"Good." Bali grunted, but everyone could see that she was as nervous as anyone else.

Little did they know that a disaster was headed their way.

* * *

><p>"You're sure you will be able to handle this alone, my lord?" Korket questioned atop his horse, warily watching the determined Thief King. Akefia glared at him from his own horse.<p>

"I hate those who underestimate me. Either you follow my plan or I kill you now." Akefia bellowed, and all of the servants of Set looked to Korket. Korket bowed his head.

"As you wish, then. We will be waiting on the outskirts for your signal to action." Korket replied, causing a few members to sigh slightly with relief. They definitely did not look forward to being slain by the madman.

"Let's move out then! I want to make my appearance just before midnight!" Akefia exclaimed with a spine-tingling cackle. With Akefia dragging the mummy behind on his horse, he set out for Thebes to give the Pharaoh his declaration of war.

...

Atem was jolted awake by a somewhat extraneous shriek of laughter from a drunk noblewoman sitting at the low tables before him in the vast throne room. Shimon crept next to him and shook his head disapprovingly.

"Even with your status my Pharaoh, it is not wise to fall asleep at a party like this." Shimon muttered, and Atem carefully stretched and rubbed at his eyes so as to not mess up his kohl.

"I am sorry, the stress must have driven me to sleep. What time is it?" Atem asked, sitting up and peering at the warm, noble-filled hall.

"It is nearly midnight, your majesty." Shimon answered and Atem straightened out even more and his eyes widened.

"Is Bali alright? May I see her at least once?"

"You know how birthing goes as I do, my King. Your father was the same way with all of his children, particularly with you. We must wait the three days out and let the gods do their will. She is one of them in every sense, not stuck on earth completely like you." Shimon chuckled as Atem's shoulders sagged and he growled in annoyance. Three days is a long time to wait.

"What's this?" Mahad questioned loudly, as the Millennium Ring began to act abnormally. From then on, things began to go downhill.

"Evil has entered the castle, and there are raiders attacking Thebes! I can see them, they are the Disciples of Set!" Isis yelled running in, sounding an alarm among all of the people gathered in the room.

"Where are the guards? They should be stopping this intruder!" Seth bellowed, and a callous laugh followed from outside the entryway. Atem gripped his throne and narrowed his eyes at the door. The door tipped open slowly and a tense silence ruled the air as calm and deliberate footsteps echoed through everyone's ears. Finally from the shadows came a man drenched in funerary relics and dragging a mummified body. His tan skin contrasted deeply with his snow white hair.

Atem turned his expression into an outright glare.

"Akefia." He growled, earning a loud patronizing laugh from the thief king.

"I see His Majesty knows the humble Thief King! How good for him!" He called out sarcastically, sweeping his hand about and looking to the people huddled about the room as if he were talking to them as a performer would. Akefia swung a hefty brown bag from his shoulder and dumped its contents over the floor.

"Here, I found these in King Akhnemkhanen's tomb. You don't honestly think those traps were any good, did you?" Akefia sniggered as gasps of horror drew from the crowd. Akefia's gaze went from side to side.

"Look at all of the frightened little mice; now that they're threatened, they don't act so haughty!" Akefia seethed, causing some whimpers.

"Enough! What did you come here for besides parading your blasphemous behavior?" Seth called out in annoyance, stepping forward from the guardians. There was a stare down until Seshat rushed in unaware of the troubles going about in the throne room.

"The queen is in labor!" She yelled, but stopped short when she saw the scene. Everyone snapped their gazes to her, but her eyes only saw those of Akefia's. He sneered and took a step forward.

"I would love to speak to your queen to see if she's really a goddess, if you don't mind. Then we can talk about the other things I came here for." Akefia chirped, Seshat taking a fearful step backwards at his murderous glare. Before anyone could make a move, a knife flew through the air and sliced through Akefia's shoulder before thudding into a wall behind.

"DON'T YOU _DARE_ GO NEAR BALI!" Atem screamed angrily, his fists clenched and an outraged gaze boring into Akefia.

"Oh, I see that I finally got you up off of that seat. I was hoping that you'd get down here once you saw that I dragged your father here but this I can accept." Akefia uttered, causing Atem's glare to intensify. Before he could accept the challenge however, Seth stepped forward.

"Leave this petty thief to us, My King. He shall pay for everything he has done, I swear it!" Seth vowed, turning his only furious yet arrogant expression on the bold thief. The evil character gave a sweeping snarky bow.

"Why, I'm honored to face you little priest, but I'm afraid you're just dust in the wind to me. I'm here to destroy the pharaoh and take the Millennium Items, not play around." Akefia barked cheerfully, laughing at his own malicious humor.

"Please, Pharaoh Atem. Her Grace the queen is one of my greatest friends. It would impede my honor should I not try and fight him." Seth said quietly, bowing his head somberly to Atem. Atem took a deep breath and nodded.

"Go Seth. Bali will appreciate it. I am going to get my father back." Atem replied just as quietly so no one but them could hear. Seth's eyes widened, but again he bowed slightly.

"I will do my best to distract him."

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><p><strong>And so begins the race to the end. No offense, but I am <em>so <em>ready to get this story done. I want to have something completed so I can work on other stuff, you know? **

**The chapter is kinda short, but hey, I should technically be studying for my anthropology final tomorrow. **

**Review and all that, you know I like it.**


	40. Seth v Akefia: The First Fight

**Oh lawd, it's been quite a bit since I've updated! I hit a wall of writer's block but I finally got my rear into gear! Chapter 40, what a landmark right? I also forgot to mention this the last chapter, but we've gotten over 400 reviews! Major thanks to all of you for the support for this story!**

**This chapter is specially dedicated to my good friend Cookie. You know who you are. ;)**

**To my dear anonymous reviewer Kaizer: I was listening to Pharaoh's Throne when I was writing it, that's why it probably appeared a little bit in my writing! Though in truth, I like the way I wrote his entrance much better than what's actually in the manga and show. Then again, I've major screwed around with the story line.**

**FUN FACT!: You wanna know who invented socks? The Egyptians did, in 300 CE, I believe. "CE" stand for "Common Era," if you didn't know. I absolutely adore socks, I have become famous for them in my marching bands and schools. Yet another reason for me to love Egypt!**

**This chapter only has a smidge of Bali and took me months to write because of my writer's block. I hope it's good though and that you enjoy it! **

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><p>"Galest Goras, I summon thee!" Seth proclaimed, lofting his Millennium Rod and pouring his Ba into his Dyat-Dyankh. With a giant beam of bright light a behemoth dragon appeared, its red-orange scales glimmering in the torchlight as it roared. Akhenaden put his hand on Seth's shoulder and leaned in to whisper.<p>

"Please be careful and keep a calm head; that man is hiding a tremendous Ka within him!" the wise man urged, but Seth only shrugged him off with an arrogant smirk.

"He will be no match for my power. He cannot summon anything that can take down this monster!" Seth bragged, so sure that this 'Thief King' was really nothing more than amazingly stupid. Much to Seth's enormous surprise and chagrin, Akefia began to howl with a murderous laugh.

"To think that the one who you unjustly killed will have a chance of revenge against you directly! Diabound!" Akefia summoned, and a giant gray creature appeared on cue. Its arms crossed before its chest, the snake-head tail that comprised the lower half of its body hissed warnings about the room.

"What? How can he have a creature so large?" The great priests muttered among themselves. Only they could have creature of such power, and even then they were difficult to summon.

"Hah, so you _can _put up a good fight! Let's see if your monster has enough to fight for its appearance." Seth challenged, watching his leader carefully out of the corner of his eye. Akefia didn't seem to catch on that Atem meant to move for his father.

"Diaha!" Both yelled, signalling the beginning of their duel.

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><p>"Just keep breathing smoothly Bali, you'll be all right." Mery soothed, and Bali actually shrugged her shoulders a little.<p>

"It's not bad yet, but I'll keep breathing. Why hasn't Isis come back yet? And I mean the human one, not you goddess-friend." Bali wondered aloud.

Mery kept herself from looking at the lightly glowing forms of the goddesses standing about the room, waiting for Bali to go into the more difficult stages of birth. The goddesses did not mind this, understanding that their servants respected and feared them justly.

"Seshat hasn't come back either." Su mumbled to Mery, but Bali didn't hear her because of the breathing.

"Do not worry yourselves with the outside. Concern yourselves with what is before you." Hathor interrupted gently, allowing a smile to come to her face as the mortals chanced a glance at her. They quickly turned away, but all goddesses were glad that they were getting used their presence. Although the goddesses could not interfere with anything that happened outside the room, they would help console Bali and bless the twins.

"Why would we have to worry about what's going on at the party?" Bali asked in concern, stopping her regimen of breathing.

"Just drunken dancing, that's all. Keep breathing!" Isis ordered and Bali was forced to comply. There's no sense in going against a goddess as powerful as Isis.

"That better be all that's happening..." Bali thought, unable to keep focusing on the breathing as when she first started. Something was very wrong and she could feel it.

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><p>"You pulled that monster out of a sinner, but do you honestly think that something like that can be a match for my Spirit Beast?!" Akefia rumbled, the very picture of confidence. Seth was, however, also a very confident and arrogant man by nature, so he was unfazed by Akefia's taunting.<p>

"When I defeat you, I'll make sure that your guts are put into a larger canopic jar." Seth sneered, and Akhenaden roughly put a hand to Seth's shoulder.

"Be careful, for that is no ordinary beast! My eye sees that it is not built from a malicious spirit. It isn't evil!" He yelled, and there were small gasps of surprise.

"How can that be possible? Akefia is one of the most evil men to have walked the earth!" Karim replied, speaking the thoughts of all in the room besides Akefia.

"Ahahaha! I guess you'll have to fight me to find out then, won't you! Lets have it, Priest Seth! Don't tell me that you're going to back down after that little fact was revealed! I thought you were much more formidable by far!" Akefia prodded once more, finally earning an angry growl from Seth, whose eyes were narrowed into an icy glare. Atem watched on, trying to become invisible to the situation. If Seth could engage in battle and properly distract the thief king, he would have a chance to rescue his father's mummy. All he has to do is wait for the proper opportunity to show itself.

"Lets get this over with!" Seth barked.

"DIAHA!" Both duelists yelled, and the monsters sprung into action. Per Seth's command and will, Galest Goras snapped its jaws forward at Diabound, the ground quaking with each of its monstrous steps.

Galest Goras lunged for Diabound's neck, but Diabound swerved and the massive dragon caught the arm instead. Diabound wrenched its arm away and struck with its snake-like tail in Galest Goras' blind spot. Seth's previously confident smirk turned into a frown at the attack, a glare adorning his sharp features. Akefia's eyes held even more the malicious fire of evil. Seth's smirk reappeared as Galest Goras, without missing a beat, caught the snake-tail and fended off the attack.

"I'll end this in one move!" Seth shouted, his audience captivated and hoping the attack would work. Galest Goras pulled on Diabound's tail and knocked the monster flat to the ground. Then the behemoth dragon flew itself up and charged the stunned monster on the floor. Seth grinned in victory and Atem believed in a split second that he could get to his father.

"Stomp him flat!" Seth ordered, everyone watching with small smiles as the dragon landed heavily on Diabound. Seth smirked.

"It's over..." He muttered with a nasty smirk, but Akefia replicated Seth's expression.

"Are you sure?" Akefia questioned, and the dust cleared to show that Diabound had disappeared. The room collectively gasped at the sight and there were a few moans of despair.

"How can that be? Did it return to its host?" Floated around, coming from the mouths of even the guardians. Akefia laughed once more, his voice silencing everyone.

"No! I activated Diabound's special ability..." Akefia started, and everyone in general spouted confused looks. Akefia decided to answer there silent queries.

"When a person has a soul Ka, it develops the power that its master wishes he could do himself. I received the spirit Ka from my Ebony, who was a thief like me! Diabound reflects our secret desires to be the best thieves in the world, represented by the special effect of moving through stone!" Akefia explained, deliberately mocking them and their lack of knowledge on the subject.

"His Ka can go through walls?!" A man shouted, utterly terrified as the crowd searched around helplessly for the monster.

"Glad to know you heard me right, you idiots! Anyway, that's not the only thing... I hear that destroying the stone slab from which a monster came will also destroy that monster..." Akefia said with a sneer, and Seth jumped as Akhenaden yelled for him to protect the stone slab. Seth turned but it was already too late. The image of Diabound appeared on the tablet, and soon the tablet burst apart as Diabound returned to the battlefield and Galest Goras gave one final roar before vanishing. Seth growled as Diabound returned to his master's side.

"That was boring! I want to fight the pharaoh now!" Akefia complained, staring pointedly at Atem who had the guardians forming a barrier in front of him. Atem narrowed his eyes in return but remained calm and silent.

"Priest Seth, even Galest Goras was beaten! We're all going to have to join the battle to protect the pharaoh and the queen!" Shada stated and Seth muttered a curse under his breath at his failure.

"I told you fools from the beginning that you're too small to beat me! Now come, pharaoh! Fight me! I promise to give you my head should you win, however; should you lose, I want your jewels, your life, and the Millennium Items! Oh, and now that I think about it, killing off your family would make an excellent prize as well!" Akefia taunted, trying to get the same rise out of Atem from before when Akefia threatened to interfere with Bali.

"How dare you speak like that to the God-on-Earth Divine King?! You will be given the most severe of our curses you murderous tyrant!" Akhenaden yelled angrily, every guardian agreeing with his words. Atem stepped forward and gained the attention of everyone in the room once more.

"Akefia, why do you want the Millennium Items so much?" Atem inquired calmly, though his severe expression remained. Although he was outwardly calm, he burned on the inside at the threat made to his family.

"Hmph... Why don't you ask your dear old father Akhnemkhanen?" Akefia replied, dragging the mummy of the pharaoh up by the rope around its neck and stomping on its back and causing a sickening crunch sound. The entire room gasped in disgust and rage. Having a great king become so disgraced was unheard of! Surely even the gods would come to the earth soon to purge this evil-doer from existence. Ammet would feast well.

"You dare step upon a former king in such a fashion?! I'll flay that foot to the bone!" Seth threatened, but Akefia ignored him and continued.

"After all, the former king is the one who made them. I wonder why he didn't tell even you, his precious son and crown prince all of the dark and terrible secrets behind the creation and magic of the Millennium Items." He finished, and Akhenaden stepped forward to answer.

"Akefia, my brother created the Millennium Items to create peace in the land and passed them on to maintain the prosperity of Egypt. A _Millennium __of Peace_ for this war-torn country was his greatest wish when he created them."

"I know this story! The Millennium Items were created with the holy power to destroy evil and bring righteousness and justice!" Seth continued, and Akefia rolled his eyes.

"Yes, we can see how well _that _has held up! Though I suppose that you have learned how to defend yourself well. I'd say that the main reason for all of those battles recently is because of your dear queen! Everything was much more peaceful until she appeared, wouldn't you say?" Akefia scoffed, again trying to get Atem into battle. The pharaoh's glare reached new depths of fury, and he tightened his fists and bit the inside of his cheek in an effort to calm himself. Akefia decided that he needed to pour more oil on the fire. The pharaoh was beginning to crack.

"You idiots know nothing of the truth behind the Millennium Items! They are not meant for justice at all! They are artifacts of darkness and black magic! If one were to own all seven at once, he could reach a contract with the dark spirits of the underworld that exists in Ammet's stomach!"

"Dark spirits of the underworld?" Mahad muttered, the information making his thoughts reel.

"Have you ever heard the name of a village called Kul Elna?" Akefia inquired darkly, any trace of levity leaving his face. Akhenaden's eyes widened in recognition, but his face was hidden from the rest of the guardians by his hood.

"The village is a ruin now, but it holds the shrine of the Millennium Tablet, to which if all seven Millennium Items are returned, then a contract can be made with the evil god of the underworld, Zorc Necrophades! Perhaps that's the reason why your king made the items in the first place, to take control of that evil power just like me so he could rule the entire world! He wanted everything to spiral into darkness!" Akefia laughed insanely, and Atem shot his hand out and pointed at him.

"Take your foot off of that mummy, you bastard!" Atem ordered furiously and Akefia laughed at his victory in crushing the pharaoh's cool demeanor.

"I finally got some anger out of you..." Akefia snickered. Before Atem could do anything, his guardians stood before him and Atem broke from the fires of complete rage, Shimon gripping his elbow to keep him from going out rashly. Atem looked down to his adviser and Shimon bowed in apology, removing his hand. Atem thanked him quietly and watched on as the guardians summoned their monsters to take the fight to a new level.

"My Pharaoh, I served your father for many years as his grand vizier and his friend. I can tell you with the utmost certainty that you r father was a good man and wished only for the well-being of his country and his family. He dedicated his life to bringing peace to Egypt and maintaining it. He would never make any such evil contract!" Shimon unraveled, Atem listening on while the guardians geared themselves up for the first team attack on Akefia and Diabound. Atem made his resolve right then and any doubts he had dissolved. He is going to get his father back, and he _will _crush Akefia.

Atem strode out confidently, his eyes fixed only on Akefia and his father's mummy, images from when he was still a boy flashing before his eyes. He had looked up to his father so much, and he remembered the kind smile on his face, and how much his father loved his country. Atem would protect that at any cost. Shimon couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Sire, please return to the throne, the Ka of the priests and Akefia are about to clash! It's too dangerous to be out there without protection!" He called out, but Atem continued on. He went along the side of the battlefield, where the guardians finally engaged with Diabound. Shada's creature was snapped in two by the powerful jaws of Diabound's tail. Shada doubled over in pain.

"What power..." Mahad grumbled through gritted teeth, handling the pain bravely as his creature was thrown aside.

"Don't give up, we must keep our Ba strong!" Akhenaden encouraged, but Akefia's evil laughter broke through.

"You're no match for my Diabound!" He cackled.

**"Move."** Atem said quietly, landing a powerful blow on Akefia's cheek and sending him sprawling to the ground feet away, the mummy coming free from his grasp. Atem picked up the mummy and looked sadly down upon it.

"An emotional reunion, eh pharaoh? I warn you, some pieces may have fallen off on the way here, heheheh!" Akefia tittered, but Atem's seething glare returned and Akefia frowned in surprise.

**"Stay right there... I'm going to destroy you."**

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><p><strong>The Pharaoh is going to enter the fight! It truly is the beginning of the end of the series. I'm sorry there isn't much of Bali, but all she's not really do anything that I can effectively write about while Atem and the guardians are hogging all the true action. It'll be that way for a few chapters. So exciting!<strong>

**Please review and keep me from writer's block! Any ideas, suggestions, and constructive thoughts will help. Next chapter will probably be fairly long.**

**See you then!**


	41. A Tender Moment

**Hey there guys! This summer has been fantastic, lemme tell ya! ... Okay, I haven't updated in awhile, but that's because I went on a total Legend of Zelda kick and it lasted awhile. But! I wrote this chapter all throughout that time, so I was thinking of you anyway!**

**I start school in twenty days, not even. I'm nervous for sophomore year, it'll be much different than freshman year. Gah! **

**I don't own YGO! or anything that isn't obviously mine!**

**FUN FACT!: Airheadninja totally posted this chapter without putting an author's note (which includes the disclaimer) because she was so excited with it being finished. DERP! Airheadninja actually does this a lot.**

**Please enjoy, I think you'll like the ending of this one.**

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><p>Never before had any of the pharaoh's priests seen their leader so enraged. The tension was so high one of them could have sliced through it with a dagger. Surprisingly, Akefia stood by and waited for Atem to make his way back to the throne, behind the guarding wall of his high priests. The Ba emanating from the pharaoh was astonishing and awe-inspiring to those around.<p>

Atem set the mummy of his father down before the throne, where Shimon fell to his knees in reverence and sorrow.

"Oh, my Pharaoh Akhnemkhanen! Your return to the palace wasn't supposed to be like this! I'm so sorry, My Pharaoh, the tomb for your father was designed by me and I accept full responsibility for this travesty!" Shimon cried in apology, weeping over the body of his old friend.

"You shouldn't cry over a tyrant, old man!" Akefia chuckled over the heads of the guardians. In turn, the priests all geared up for the next struggle agaisnt the Thief King.

Atem had knelt down with Shimon over his father gazing at the saddened state the mummy was in. His father... How powerless and guilty Atem felt for not protecting him better!

"You are not at fault, Shimon. That black-hearted thief is to blame. I just don't know how I can..." Atem trailed off, the deep depression that had held him immediately after his father's death returning and bringing uncertainty with it. What could he do? Were the Millennium Items truly evil? There were so many questions.

"There's no way I can-" Atem began again, but a strong, booming voice in his head interrupted him.

_"Justice lies in the Egyptian Gods. Expel the evil from the palace, my son." _His father commanded, making Atem gasp and realize how important he was. He also recalled his conversation with Bali after the False Deity Anubis had been killed.

...

_"You are the chosen pharaoh, Atem. You married me, and now you know all three names of the God Beasts, one of which is a part of me. I hope to everything that you will never have to use that power." Bali told him, her voice edging worry while she lay across from him. He took her hands in his and kissed them. _

_"I hope the time will never come as well, Bali._

_..._

Atem released his held breath and stood. His resolve strengthened, any doubts he had were obliterated from his mind. He is the Chosen Pharaoh. Only he can summon and command the god-beasts and expel this problem. He walked forward and watched as his court were knocked back in their latest skirmish. He placed himself in front of the group, garnering protests despite the fact that they were struggling to stand.

"My pharaoh, do not bother yourself with this!" Seth yelled, but Atem held his hand up, staring forward into the murderous grin of Akefia.

"Seth, it is my duty to protect my people and my family." He replied, activating his Dyat-Dyankh. All but Akefia watched in amazement as his Ba flared like a firestorm.

"Akefia! This is the fight you've been waiting for! You seem to think that your monster is all-powerful, but you have forgotten that there are monsters more powerful than anything someone petty like you could ever dream of!" Atem called out, pointing with his right while his Dyat-Dyankh glowed white. Akefia's amusement only grew.

"We'll see about that! Would you like to summon such a powerful creature so I can promptly smash it, Your Highness? I can wait." Akefia barked, again acting as if he were having the time of his life performing on a stage of terror.

"Come forth, Obelisk the Tormentor, embodiment of the rage of Geb!" Atem summoned, and the palace shook and the Millennium Puzzle let out a piercing golden light as the god beast began to form in the space behind Atem. Akefia's smile disappeared finally and he watched the threat to his plan seriously. The giant blue monster towered over Diabound and growled with its angry and vengeful red eyes.

"I can't believe it... The legends are true about the Chosen Pharaoh being able to summon the gods! You are the one!" Shimon trailed off in awe, everyone in the room giving a collective gasp at the news. How amazing it is to find that your king is one straight from legends. However, Atem and Akefia were zoned into their own world. They heard and saw nothing but what was before them, and the battle about to ensue.

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><p>Bali kept breathing as she was commanded to, but ever since Seshat returned and Isis left, Bali noticed that everyone around her was on edge. However, whenever she tried to use her power to figure out what was going on, the Goddess Isis would glare at her and tell her to stop. The Goddess Isis has been pacing about the room the entire time, arms crossed and focusing on the door. Because all of her energy was being expended in labor Bali couldn't even sense what the goddess was doing.<p>

The palace began to quake slightly, and Bali shot her head up.

"Are you sure there's nothing going on?"

"If there were anything going on what could you do about it?! Focus on the task you have before you right now!" Isis snapped back, and Bali huffed, laying her head back down. As much as Bali hated to go without knowing, Isis has the upper hand and sound logic. Bali can't do anything anyway.

"Just be okay, Atem. Just make sure everything is okay for them to be here." Bali prayed, returning her focus just as Isis ordered.

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><p>Obelisk growled, the pharaoh and the thief king entering their own stare down. Akefia's mind raced. He had no idea that the pharaoh could possibly summon a true god... In fact, it almost seemed sketchy to him...<p>

"Ha, you boast! That monster is no match for mine! It is no god and I will prove it!" He yelped, laughing as he pointed forward and commanded Diabound to show his most powerful attack. The creature obeyed, forming a sphere of Ba between its hands, glowing a pale blue color. It grew larger and larger, and Atem watched calmly as slowly Diabound raised it above its head as the sphere became too massive to hold properly out in front of it. Once the attack became fully charged, Diabound held a simply massive amount of Ba, enough to make the people around twitter in fear, even with the presence of Obelisk.

"Hahahaha, Diabound, attack!" Akefia ordered, his laughter pushing forward along with the enormous amount of Ba headed straight for Atem.

"Obelisk, show him what a true god is capable of, and protect everyone of this empire." Atem stated, not raising his voice above Akefia's laughter. Obelisk brought his mighty fists up and jabbed them out in a powerful counterattack, which met Diabound's in an explosion of power. Akefia remained grinning at first, but it quickly faded as Obelisk's attack dispelled Diabound's and began to travel towards him. The attack had taken most of Akefia's Ba already, and if he lost any more his life would be in danger. But he took the risk and dipped into his life energy, his Ka, to be able to give Diabound the power to shift himself and his monster through the walls of the palace to try and escape. Diabound took a large portion of the damage, but Akefia managed to slip through the palace and into the night, away from Obelisk and the priests. Akefia called back to the throne room with a chilling message however:

"You and your gods are better than I thought! But be warned, Great Pharaoh: The next time we meet you will not be so fortunate."

Atem stood thinking about the threat until he doubled over in pain and exhaustion. Summoning Obelisk had taken a toll on his Ba and he knew he wouldn't be able to pursue Akefia because of it. Everything was starting to swirl around in Atem's vision, but he managed to remain conscious as his priests all gathered themselves to try and go after the Thief King.

"No, wait!" Atem managed to call out, trying to step forward, only to fall. He was caught by both Seth and Mahad.

"My king, you should go rest. We guardians will secure the palace and make sure every guest returns to their quarters safely." Akhenaten suggested urgently, but Atem only had enough energy to nod before fading into a deep slumber.

Akefia stood atop a cliff outside Thebes, looking at the city with a menacing grin.

"One thief will start a war! This is the end of everything, pharaoh! I can't wait for our next battle!" He called into the night, ignoring his exhaustion, pain and his defeat. Akefia turned, jumped atop his horse, riding away with the Disciples of Set galloping behind him.

...

Atem awoke in his chambers, still clothed though without a cape. He stood slowly, ignoring the wooziness from the energy he had spent.

"I need air..." He mumbled, and walked out to a balcony that overlooked the city complex. He glares out into the morning, knowing that Akefia is still out there despite the escape and defeat. Ra had risen while he was asleep, and Atem could guess that he would be at the noon position soon.

"My Pharaoh, Lady Seshat wishes for me to tell you that the queen is doing well. We've been informed that the first child will be born midday tomorrow, and the second at midnight at the end of the third day." Shimon informed, coming up behind Atem with Mahad in tow, both bowing in respect. Atem turned with a flimsy smile.

"That is good to hear. Has there been any sign of Akefia?" He asked, smile disappearing and turning into a scowl at the negative shake of heads.

"Get the guardians together. We need to train as much as possible in case Akefia returns to the palace, which I believe that probability to be high." Atem ordered, and Shimon left to fulfill it. Mahad clenched his fists. his head ducked in shame.

"My pharaoh, I must apologize. The Millennium Ring has been acting strangely and it is difficult to sense when evil approaches. It is my fault that the tomb was raided and the palace attacked." Mahad stated, his hands clenching from the intense shame that radiated throughout him Atem turned and alighted his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I understand. But now we must prepare and make sure that this madman does not prevail. It is worth reading into as to why the Millennium Ring is having problems, and I give you permission to do so. And please, make sure that my father's return is peaceful." He pleaded quietly, and Mahad bowed his head fully before rising and whisking away to set about getting Pharaoh Akhnemkhanon back to his tomb, researching about the Millennium Ring, and to begin training with all of the other guardians.

...

Atem had them all gathered before him, divided into teams of three to begin sparring matches. He would watch on; he still needed to regain his energy after summoning Obelisk.

"This will be the only time we can train, between protecting Thebes and the palace to tracking down Akefia. It will be three on three, testing your teamwork among every other skill." Shimon announced, and the guardians all bristled while staring each other down. Seth smirked arrogantly.

"I think we all know whose side is going to win, but I might as well play for the sheer entertainment." He thought, and focused once more when Shimon signaled for the battle to begin. The guardians spared no time to summon their creatures to begin their hastily thrown together training session.

...

In another part of the palace, Bali was getting ready to push out the first of the twins...

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><p>Atem had just shown Priest Seth that he indeed could not afford to sacrifice his allies to gain any strength, after Seth had pulled some pretty nasty stunts just to win.<p>

Atem couldn't wipe the smirk off of his face as the priests began to disperse, their limited time for training expiring.

"PHARAOH! IT'S THE QUEEN!" A messenger shouted, his message echoing throughout the throne room. Blood drained from Atem's face and his mind went blank.

"There isn't anything wrong... She's fine..." He told himself repeatedly, following the messenger back into the palace.

Once the two arrived, the messenger was excused as Atem met with Seshat outside of a secluded passage blocked by a heavy door. Her back was turned from him, as she was occupied with something that he couldn't see.

"My pharaoh, half an hour ago..." Seshat began, and started turning around. Atem waited with bated breath and his eyes widened at the tired smile on her face and the bundle in her arms.

"The queen wished you to meet him now that he's pacified." Seshat whispered, stepping forward to hand off the bundle to Atem. His heart raced as he panicked slightly while carefully holding the bundle as if the slightest amount of movement would break him.

"My son... Akheoerkare..." He finally choked out, peering down at the sleeping face of his first child.

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><p><strong>Eh, eh? Was I right? Did you like the ending? I was going to add on something to make it a teensy bit different, but I just liked it the way it was. Something tender and peaceful. Especially with what's coming up.<strong>

**Please review and all of that to give me a clue. Any ideas, anything constructive at all, I'm cool with all of that. Well, it's forty one chapters in, you all know the drill by now (I say that a lot, don't I?)**

**I hope your summer (if it's summer where you are) days are passing well, and I have no idea the next time I'll update, seeing as school will be starting and I'll be busier than last year. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY... ! **


	42. Birth of Dark Magician

**Ummmm... Hi. Airheadninja, uh, has some explaining to do, heh heh... It's been over a year since she's updated this particular story and she's sooooo sorry that it's taken this long. She just... This chapter was a pain in the buttocks to write. But you know, she's been extremely busy too, what with work and school and marching band... But still! She's back and doesn't plan on it being another year until she updates again because she doesn't want to become a total barbarian. **

**She hopes you all remember what the heck was happening, but in any case, one of the babies has been born! Yay! Now we're waiting for number two. **

**Airheadninja is going to be killed by Bali later for this, but Bali isn't in this chapter. Not really. She thinks that's why this was so difficult to write.**

**FUN FACT!: Airheadninja is off to the Land of the Rising Sun in three weeks! If you don't know which country that is, let it be known that it's... JAPAN! She's off to visit her sister on her winter break during the holidays. Anyone think she'll meet a certain handsome duelist with a strange hairdo wandering around, cuz that's what she's hoping for! As for a fact about the story, Egyptians were very proud of their long lineage and history. Four thousand years is a long time to keep it together, and the Pharaohs were quite aware of that fact and celebrated it at any given moment.**

**Now enjoy this much awaited chapter. Airheadninja hopes it's taken seriously because one of the characters she's grown to love is its main focus.**

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><p>News of the birth of the Crown Prince spread throughout the city, within a few hours of his birth. Many celebrated, but everyone knew that the Queen would be birthing a princess soon. Royal messengers to other cities and kingdoms were withheld until the birth of Princess Sitre-Meramun.<p>

Seth went to Kisara to share the happy news, while the pharaoh sent more patrols out into the kingdom. Akefia had to be caught with even more at stake.

Mahad had commanded the mehdji from the palace but he felt uneasy and ashamed. Many times now had he failed in keeping the palace secure. Even if Bali were able to speak to him on the matter, it would not make a difference. Not even his student Mana could appease his mood. Even now Mahad could sense Akefia on the outskirts of the city, waiting to attack once more.

Mahad couldn't wait any longer. Isis could only see darkness whenever she had the energy to to use her Millennium Necklace, and Seth wasn't of much use either. Something had been taking his concentration away from searching the city and now Mahad was the only one who could make a move, as the Pharaoh could only wait for the enemy to come to him. The tense air around the palace only furthered his already large amount of stress.

Mahad felt the Millennium Ring around his neck quiver as it felt Akefia's presence on the outskirts of Thebes. Mahad stared down at it, wondering what Bali's advice would be. It seemed that ever since the fearsome queen had gone into labor, darkness was swathed everywhere. Had Bali's power really kept everything at bay so much that Akefia had waited for the perfect opportunity, or had it all been pure chance?

"No, this is worse... This is fate." Mahad growled under his breath, and he rushed to gather his reformed spy network of the Mehdji. He could not wait any longer. He would lure Akefia out to the training grounds for the magicians and end this threat.

Just as he was about to leave, he was approached by Isis, who breathed heavily from running.

"Mahad, I just got the premonition! You can't do this, I can't let you go alone!" She gasped, placing a hand upon his shoulder. He gently clasped his hand over hers and let it stay there for just a moment before releasing it and letting Isis retract it.

"Isis, I appreciate your concern, but this is something I must do. Pharaoh has been too kind in letting me waste time here when I should be out doing my duty to this country and its people. Please look after the Queen while I am gone. She is going to be exhausted more than ever before, even as a goddess. She will most likely need to rest for three more days."

Isis gave him a look of confusion.

"I don't understand, why are you telling me this?"

Mahad stared deeply into her eyes with an air of regret. Isis read his face perfectly and protested once more.

"No! You know, but you're going to-"

"Isis, I already told you. This is something I must do. I fear for everyone should I not." Mahad stated once again, and tears leaked from her eyes as she stepped back.

"I know... I know."

"I am curious, however... You are unable to see the futures of holders of the Millennium Items... How did you come to see even a glimmer of mine?" Mahad questioned with a sidelong glance. Isis' face reddened.

"I... I tried focusing on Mana, and she gave me the smallest detail. But just know that you do return to the palace Mahad." She admitted, and Mahad smiled fully.

"Thank you, Isis. Until then." He gave his farewell, leaving her in the empty hallway with his smile fading into a look of determination. As he walked on his way over to the front gate of the palace, he sensed a familiar presence hiding in one of the many giant decorative pots lining the passageway. He turned with a stern look, and only the slightest hint of mirth in his eyes.

"Mana, I know you're in there." He called, and there was a tiny gasp from inside before she slowly popped her head out. She gave an embarrassed giggle.

"Sorry, Mahad, I just couldn't resist."

"That's Master Mahad now, why don't you ever remember that? And you should be practicing, not playing around like this. It is a very serious time and we must always be on our guard." Mahad lectured, and Mana pouted.

"Hey, we've known each other for so long! And I happen to be your top student, which is why I came here to ask why you're going out there without anyone to help you! I mean, I know about-"

"Mana! Be discreet. The walls have ears."

Mana gave an exasperated sigh.

"You're never going to change, that's for sure. Well, just know that you had better beat him. Otherwise I'll skip my lessons for a month and you'll go insane." She threatened with an enforcing wag of her finger. Mahad smiled lightly for his student and one of his best friends.

"I will do my best. Watch over the palace while I am gone, and don't get into too much trouble. The time may come soon when the Pharaoh will need your power to help fight the evil plaguing us." He lectured, and ruffled her hair one last time before turning and leaving.

The trek out to the battlegrounds felt like an eternity, but the opening stood before Mahad and his men, its darkness a mere prelude to the events about to ensue.

"Remember what I have instructed. Make sure that no one else enters." Mahad reminded, before sweeping inside confidently.

His men murmured to one another in the meantime, their loyalty making them question his orders and their own morals.

It didn't take long for them to snap to attention because of the thunderous approach of horses heading in their direction. The soldiers peered out and saw cloaked men with glaring red eyes from beneath their hoods following a barbarically grinning Akefia. It was do or die time.

The men clashed, the soldiers staving off the Disciples of Set while allowing Akefia passage to follow Mahad. Once the thief king made it through, men on top of the cliff sent down a cascade of rubble, effectively sealing the grounds. The battlegrounds would be both Mahad's and Akefia's grave.

All that the soldiers and disciples could do was wait for the outcome. If Mahad lost, his soul would be imprinted on a tablet back at the palace. If Akefia failed, the disciples would have no choice but to escape Egypt, as all of their plans relied on Akefia's success.

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><p>"So, you have finally arrived." Mahad called out, not needing much light to sense the evil presence of the Thief King. Said villain snickered.<p>

"Ah, I figured you would try something like this. However, I'm not here for you, Little Magician, I am here for the item around your neck!"

Mahad glanced down to the Millennium Ring and frowned even more deeply. As of late it had been harder to control, and now Akefia was starting to answer as to why.

"This item was meant for me, I was trained for it!" Mahad bellowed in return, readying his Ba to summon his Illusion Magician. He released energy he had sealed away inside himself and the ring.

"Yes but it was destined for me. Now lets see what you've got!" Akefia yelled, summoning Diabound to the chamber. Mahad gasped in surprised horror. Diabound's markings and size had changed drastically, and that didn't touch the change in intensity of his power.

"What is this? How has your monster changed so much in so little time?!" Mahad questioned, hastily rethinking a strategy to take Akefia down. Not that he had planned on underestimating Akefia before, but now such a power up would require Mahad to think on his feet more.

Not only that, but he was up against someone who built his monstrous life off of thinking on his feet.

"No doubts! I came here to end this, because _they _don't need any more of this madness!" Mahad thought, shifting his stance to brace himself more.

"Hatred, little priest, it's that simple! Each time my hatred grows so does my beast's power! Killing you will make it even better it is than now!" Akefia explained, though he still eyed the also different Illusion Magician warily. There was something unstable there but it was well-hidden, a scheme opposite to using brute force. Mahad picked up on Akefia's sudden slight hesitation to attack.

"My father and I locked away an enormous amount of power inside of the Millennium Ring, and now I have released it to manifest itself inside my Spirit Ka. Whether I live or die in this battle, I will make sure that neither of us leave this place." Mahad said, regaining his confidence to defeat his enemy once and for all. This is going to be the end, one way or another.

Mahad willed his monster to attack, heaving massive amounts of magic into each spell. His chants were so fast and well-rehearsed that any normal ears would be unable to discern his words.

But Akefia's monster disappeared into the dust the explosions caused, and Akefia still stood.

"Heh heh, how unexpected! You gave your Heka to double the power of your attack. Only spirit sorcerers can do that, which makes you so very talented." Akefia complimented in an off-kilter way. Mahad kept wary eyes out for Diabound.

"Can it walk through walls...?" He pondered, but his eyes snapped to Akefia when the thief king began moving.

"But as a thief, I _also _have ways to give special abilities and attacks to my monster!" Akefia revealed, and stepped forward onto a button, unleashing a trap of pendulum blades to sweep across their narrow battlefield. Akefia jumped up to ride the pendulum nearest him while Mahad dodged forward to avoid the worst.

"You see, when someone becomes a king of thieves, they tend to see better in the dark. That trap was as obvious to me as knowing how this duel will turn out!"

Mahad cringed and sat still in a crouched position, the only one he could keep to stay alive. Illusion Magician floated nearby, waiting for a command and waiting for Diabound.

"If I am attacked by Diabound now, I will die. There's nothing I can do now but attack!" Mahad thought, and drew in a calming breath before commanding his Illusion Magician to surge forward to attack Akefia directly.

"Not so fast, my friend!" Akefia called out, and Mahad gasped when Diabound suddenly appeared above him. Illusion Magician stopped.

Akefia shouted for Diabound to kill them both but Mahad focused inward, knowing that his last ditch effort had to be attempted. He took the attack and didn't attempt to keep Illusion Magician from fading away.

"Great Pharaoh, My Queen... Please forgive me for what I must do..." Mahad whispered, trying to wash away the pain with every bit of rationality.

"H-hahaha! No one will ever be able to catch me! I can't believe my intentions are playing out so beautifully before me. One by one I'll kill you priests and take your Millennium Items, and you get to be lucky number one!" Akefia cackled, but he stopped when Mahad stood.

"What?! How are you still alive?!"

"Akeifa, I have one spell left that I can cast as a spirit sorcerer. I will fuse my Ka with my Ba, Spirit and Soul to defeat you! My life is nothing in comparison..." Mahad informed, before beginning the final spell of his mortal life.

Akefia could only watch in anxious anticipation for the outcome. Mahad's changed position put him in the line of a pendulum, and with his body torn apart the Millennium Ring was cut away and crashed to the floor. Akefia did not see Mahad's soul leap away and Illusion Magician reform.

"That was pitiful, but I can't say I have a problem with getting an item so easily." He muttered, stepping forward to collect the ring. Down floated Illusion Magician, his face hidden from Akefia's view. The thief king stopped and immediately jumped back.

"How is his Ka still here if he's dead?! Diabound, kill this echo of his death once and for all!" Akefia shouted and he gasped when Illusion Magician's face appeared as Mahad.

No words were said, only a magic blast was thrown at him, and Akefia fell of the stone bridge into a terrible darkness.

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><p>Atem was enthralled by his son, and visited with the infant whenever he could. However, with his empire in danger he was drawn away for a multitude of reasons and one such important reason came calling as Ra rose over the desert.<p>

"Pharaoh, it is Lord Mahad! You must come immediately!" A messenger servant bellowed, and Atem gently pried his finger away from his sleeping son and left him to the maids to address the servant.

"Do not yell when in the presence of the prince, though I understand you are in a hurry. Lead me." He ordered, and after a hasty apology, the servant bowed and showed him to his throne.

Once Atem sat, a sealing stone tablet was brought to his attention, and Atem jumped from his seat in horrified shock.

Upon the stone was Mahad as Illusion Magician, though through his fusion he had become the Dark Magician. Atem walked down to stand before it, expression grim.

"Did he at least kill Akefia, and what of the Millennium Ring?!" Seth yelled, turning to the men who had been Mahad's guard. They shook their heads.

"No one escaped from there, but we can't be sure of anything else." One replied sadly, the rest nodding their agreements. Seth cursed quietly and muttered to himself.

"Mahad, thank you. From all of us." Atem murmured, thinking back on his family and the great sacrifice he had made for them. He turned to see his priests arguing over the validity of Mahad's actions, Akefia's chance of survival and the whereabouts of the Millennium Ring. They became less heated upon earning his attention.

"I cannot sense Akefia with my Tauk, but I will send Spiria to search the land around the battlegrounds to find any traces that might lead us to believing that he's alive." Isis said, hiding her grief and turmoil underneath a cool and calm mask. Atem nodded.

"We leave it to you."

"Pharaoh, he could be in the city. We cannot allow him to rove around. Allow me to send troops in again to search for him. It's urgent that we find him should he be hiding here." Seth suggested, though the underlying tone in his voice made Atem think over his plan.

A disruption at the entrance to the hall garnered their attention, a voice crying out in protest against guards.

"I'm here to see my master and you dummies aren't going to stop me!" Mana stated, getting prepared to use magic if necessary.

"She has no business here, throw her out!" Seth ordered, but Atem contradicted him quickly.

"No, wait. Mana is Mahad's student, she has the right to be here."

The guards stepped aside and Mana came dashing forward to to look at the stone, so worried that she didn't thank her friend for allowing her entrance.

"It can't be... He can't be gone, my master was everything! How am I going to become elite without his help?! Why...?" She sobbed, dropping to one knee in both reverence and grief.

"Mana..." Atem knelt next to her and put a hand on her back for comfort as she shook trying to withhold more sobs.

"You... You can summon spirits from their stones, can't you Pharaoh? Please... I just want to see my master..." She moans, her head bent down so none could see her face.

Isis stepped forward and bent slightly to rest a hand on Mana's shoulder, causing the apprentice magician to look up.

"Mana, Mahad's spirit is resting now after a terrible battle. Your level of Heka is not yet great enough to see spirits, nor do you house a spirit Ka. I believe that should you train harder for Mahad you'll be able to see him again and fight by his side." Isis comforted, and light arose in Mana's eyes. She wiped tears determinedly away form her face as she stared up at her master's stone tablet.

"I will become great. I will." She promised, and both Isis and Atem gave her a small smile before standing fully.

"Agh, that's enough! These tears and moping about in sadness will get us nowhere! Akefia is still a threat and we must act! Allow me to send troops into the city to find him!" Seth argued insistently, and Atem once again stared him down while carefully considering the options.

"Let me save them." Seth added, and Atem looked back to Shimon.

"As we don't know of Akefia's death, it would be wise to stay on our guard." Shimon commented quietly and Atem turned to look sharply at Seth.

"Fine, I will sloow you to station troops! You must not threaten the people at all, your job is to find Akefia and protect the people from him!" Atem made clear, and Seth put his left hand on his heart, raised his right and put his left foot forward in a low bow of respect.

"I will not disappoint you, and I will protect everyone!" Seth vowed and Atem nodded.

"So let it be written so let it be done. If there is nothing else I will be in the library." Atem said, and swept off to walk alone. Once he knew he wasn't followed, he sighed.

"Bali, how am I supposed to tell you about the death of our friend? And how do we get out of this mess..." He muttered, putting a hand to his head and running his fingers through his hair.

"Why do we keep getting into these messes in the first place?" He asked himself angrily, and the only answer he was given were the echoes of Akefia's voice:

**"I'd say the main reason for all of those battles recently is because of your dear queen. Everything was much more peaceful until she appeared, wouldn't you say?"**

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**Holy Popsicle Stick, we're in for some interesting kinds of turmoil after this. I hope it was okay after the long blasted time I took writing it. Bali just didn't fit. She'll be back for the next chapter though. I think. **

**Please follow, Favorite, Review, do a thing to let me know you're out there... Somewhere... I will begin work on the next chapter posthaste and maybe even try for a little Christmas magic with the update. Toodles! **


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